Opinion: Students should plan to work remotely beyond college, and expect both pros and cons of shifting workforce norms.
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As tired of a subject as remote learning may be, students transitioning into careers may find there is no plausible rest in sight for online work environments. Many internship and entry-level job opportunities now boast fully-remote functionality or hybrid options.
According to Upwork, one in four Americans worked remotely through 2021. They also estimate that 36.2 million Americans — 22% of the workforce — will work remotely by 2025. It’s important for students to recognize that working online is not limited to their educational experience and to hear from others who have already entered the remote workforce so they know how to best prepare.
It can be difficult for newly-hired employees to navigate their work online without the more attentive guidance an in-person environment would provide. Senior John Petrie entered a hybrid-work environment this summer, and finds some aspects challenging as most employees work fully remotely.
“As an intern, I have lots of smaller questions that I need help with,” Petrie said. “I’ll message people and it takes longer to get a response than it would if we were in the office.”
It is also difficult for interns and entry-level workers to adapt to work environments without being able to meet their new co-workers and develop the deeper personal relations they could in person.
At the Emerald, I’ve enjoyed being able to meet in-person with my fellow writers during the school year. Seeing others’ passion for writing and the world makes me care more about the topics we cover as well as my own work. Plus, it’s always nice to be reminded that you’re a part of something larger than yourself. Without weekly face-to-face meetings, you can lose sense of your role in an organization.
Some, though, find that their work has become more intentional through hybrid or fully remote environments. The remote workforce allows people to figure out what schedule works best for them and work in a typically more comfortable environment at home, as well requiring workers to be flexible with unforeseen bumps in the road. Co-workers may not always be readily available, your neighbor may like to do yard work during your daily meeting or your laptop charger may break at random. The type of strategic thinking that goes into planning for remote work actually helps people be more intentional with their work productivity.
Another positive is that the long-withstanding inaccessibility of internships and job opportunities due to cost of location changes and living is alleviated in part by remote work. Still, it requires steady access to a functioning computer and it is unclear if remote work will have a major impact on economic disparities in the workforce.
While working remotely can be a struggle, today’s college students are not lacking experience. Most of us figured out how to adapt to remote learning and what work environments and strategies work best for us. Whether it is putting your phone on do not disturb, setting timers prior to Zoom meetings or finding playlists that keep you productive, students have developed the skills necessary to succeed in an online work environment. Whether we want to or not, we should be prepared to use them.
Obviously, not all will be entering a remote workforce. Not all jobs can be performed online, and many companies are now opting to switch back into in-person functionality as COVID restrictions ease. However, many students may likely find themselves on a virtual career path. Jobs in the business, technology and journalism fields are more likely to be at least partially online. Additionally, anyone with a bachelor’s degree or higher is five times more likely to report working from home than those without.
It’s also important to be aware that this major shift in workplace functionality calls forth other possible changes. Many remote companies also made the shift to four-day work weeks amid the pandemic, some seeing no real change in productivity. Not to get anyone’s hopes up, but the future of the nine to five is indeed at risk here, people!
The pandemic taught people many things — expressing gratitude for friends and family, how to survive without toilet paper and that us Americans will always succeed in globally embarrassing ourselves. More, though, it’s taught us that life can change. Quickly. While we can’t always be ready when it does, we can prepare.
In a perfect world, one where we truly are post-COVID, the remote workforce would reap benefits for all. Hybrid models would be implemented so that workers could choose a path that works best for them. Hours in a work week would decrease, wages would increase. Office space that makes up nearly 80 percent of some downtown business districts could be used instead to house people affordably. There would be less traffic pollution. There would be more time for intentional action and community support for those in need. In a perfect world, there would be less people in need.
Except that’s not the world we’re living in yet — and to get remotely close will take time, commitment, sacrifice and Zoom meetings. Lots of them.
Get your laptops ready, Ducks. We’ve got work to do.
