Flexibility at What Cost? Multiple Stakeholder Perceptions of Remote Work-Related Experiential Activities

• In Event: Understudied and Unexamined Facets of Work-Related Experiential Opportunities

Abstract

At the height of the pandemic, students interested in work-related experiential activities (WREAs) such as internships, job shadows, or co-ops, found their prospects increasingly limited to virtual formats (Braga 2020). As the pandemic wanes, many companies are moving online indefinitely (Vasel 2022) – a trend that is likely to persist as workers increasingly desire the flexibility of remote work (Segal, 2022). However, despite recent trends, we still know little about the value and limitations of remote WREAs (Hora et al., 2021). Herein, we examine the perspectives of multiple stakeholders in order to deepen understanding of the costs and benefits associated with these types of opportunities.
Although limited, empirical work on remote work-related opportunities provides mixed results on their value and effectiveness. Some researchers have found that remote WREAs offer the opportunity to develop similar skills to in-person WREAs (Bayerlein & Jeske, 2018; Bell et al., 2021). Moreover, online WREAs can be more affordable and offer greater flexibility than in-person WREAs (Judene Pretti et al., 2020; Hora et al., 2021). However, recent work suggests that these types of opportunities can also create new challenges (Bayerlein & Jeske, 2018; Hora et al., 2021; Cabrera Rasmussen & Van Vechten, 2021). For example, students have reported experiencing isolation, slower communication, difficulty staying motivated, and challenges with internet access (Hora et al. 2021).
As part of a larger mixed-methods study, this paper presents qualitative data from five focus group interviews with employers (n = 21) and individual interviews with students (n = 48) and career center administrators (CCAs) (n = 6) across six universities. Each interview was completed via Zoom and lasted approximately 60 minutes. Following transcription, researchers iteratively developed an initial coding scheme and inductively coded transcripts while working to collapse codes into larger categories (Miles et al., 2019). Coding resulted in the identification of three core themes.
For students, the strong desire for the flexibility afforded by remote WREAs was among the most frequently mentioned benefits. However, students also communicated a preference for structure – though many enjoy flexibility, too much flexibility can leave some feeling lost. Participants not only valued greater choice about when and how to work, but where. For students, remote WREAs allowed for increased geographic reach, which translated into greater access to opportunities for some. CCAs also reported this as a key benefit of remote internships and employers echoed this sentiment, not only for prospective interns, but for their own companies. For employers located in what might be perceived as less-desirable locations, remote opportunities deepen the applicant pool. However, all stakeholders emphasized the interpersonal costs associated with remote opportunities. Many students mentioned feeling isolated and missed the social aspects of in-person work and some found it difficult to locate help while employers similarly discussed how difficult it can be to fully support their student workers online.
As trends continue toward an increasing number of online opportunities, it is imperative to better understand the challenges and benefits associated with online WREAs in order to provide broad access to high-quality, meaningful work-related opportunities.

Authors

• Amy Elizabeth Stich, University of Georgia
  Presenting Author

• Collin Case, University of Georgia
  Presenting Author

• Karen L. Webber, University of Georgia
  Presenting Author

• Matthew Grandstaff
  Presenting Author