More than half of college students in the US considering remote work are worried about being isolated

• A survey from Universum asked college students in the US if they are interested in remote positions.
• Although 75% said they are, these students are also concerned about feeling isolated.
• Additionally, some are worried about their earnings if they land a remote internship or job.

The option to work from home is a plus for many. But some college students who haven't experienced office life yet are worried about what they might miss out on or how it can affect their work.

Employer branding agency Universum asked over 50,000 students in the US between October 2020 to March 2021 as part of a survey for the firm's Most Attractive Employers ranking for the United States whether they would be open to remote work. These remote work opportunities include internships during the school year and offers after graduation. Most respondents said they are interested, at 75%.

Although many of the respondents are interested in landing a remote internship or remote full-time job, they have some concerns about this work model. In particular, they're worried about missing out on the social aspect of work.

The following chart highlights the results from Universum shared with Insider:

Of those interested in remote work opportunities, 56% said they are concerned they'll "be isolated and miss out on social connection with coworkers."

Emma Grace Cromwell, a freshman at Elon University, is still early in her college career but has thought about remote internships. She said she likes that she would be able to apply to jobs not in the area while in college.

She said she also thinks remote work could be a good option after college in part because she likes the idea of traveling while working. She told Insider, like the survey respondents, she does think it could potentially be isolating and may mean weaker connections with coworkers, especially since she enjoys working in groups.

"Young talent are not only expecting employers to offer remote work options as the new normal for 2021, but also demanding companies to effectively address their concerns on isolation and lack of social connections when it comes to remote or hybrid work alternatives," Kortney Kutsop, managing director at Universum Americas, told Insider in an email.

"We see that especially tech female talent living in large cities are willing to take on fully remote positions that allow them to have flexibility and work-life balance," Kutsop added.

The following chart shows the share of respondents in different fields of study who are interested in remote work:

Being in an office can be especially beneficial for people still early in their careers

There are different benefits to working in the office, such as in-person collaboration. Working from an office could mean no longer having to take all your meetings via your computer and can avoid Zoom fatigue.

A Harvard Business Review post also noted the benefit of getting to understand the company culture.

"In general, new employees who work remotely are likely to find it harder to get things done - if you can't watch what people are doing and if others can't notice when you're struggling, then everything about the job has to be taught more explicitly," Art Markman wrote.

Julia Lamm, a workforce strategy partner at PwC, previously told Insider she learned at her first job after college by observing coworkers.

If managers "happen to be going off to a client meeting, see you're sitting at your desk and say, 'Hey, do you want to come along?' that's a great opportunity for someone where, if you're at home, it just might not be top of mind for them," Lamm said.

For Cromwell, hybrid work sounds like it could be a good option, enjoying the both benefits of remote work and being in an office.

"I would have the connections of work people, but I would get to work in the comfort of my space and my house." Cromwell said. "I would have a good balance, and I think especially if it was where I could go in when I needed to."