With both feet up on his desk, Patrick Hoyle sits comfortably while he scrolls through the videos on his Tik Tok ‘for you’ page. He lets out a yawn, and gets up for a cup of coffee - the videos on his phone continue playing on a loop. It sounds like an ordinary Friday morning for any college student, except sitting on his desk is a work computer with an on-going zoom session. Hoyle, a Northeastern University student, is currently completing co-op at Fidelity Investments - and he’s in the middle of a work meeting.

One of the most popular reasons among students for enrolling at Northeastern University is co-op. Four to six months of real-life work experience from long work hours at businesses to actual paychecks. This better equips students for the real job market and world.

Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic has tainted and altered this experience for prospective co-op candidates. In a world where remote and hybrid work models seem to be the most frequent co-op mode these days, is it possible that students are missing out on an authentic experience, or are they preparing themselves for the new normal?

Daniella Ginebra, a fall 2021 finance co-op at Bain Capital, says there’s no way of knowing what the future will look like, but that she is appreciative of the balance a hybrid work model brings. “I had heard co-op horror stories of students feeling drained and overworked,” she said, “with a hybrid model, that’s not the case for me. Being able to work from home for two days, while going into the office for three, is almost replenishing. I feel rested, and end up making the most out of my workplace experience.”

Ginebra’s opinion on the work-life balance a hybrid model provides employees seems to be the general consensus among students with other co-op models. Hoyle, who is fully remote, says he didn’t realize this until he experienced it on his own. After two and half months of fully remote work, his job offered a three day in-person ‘retreat’, which gave co-ops the chance to experience workplace culture. “Since getting a taste of [what it’s like to work at an office], I feel a bit underwhelmed and bored with my current experience. Fortunately, these retreats will happen once a month from now on, so I’ll make sure to take advantage of them as much as possible.”

Lino Lizier, a fully in-person spring 2022 management co-op at Northstar, also agrees with the sentiment. “Don’t get me wrong, I think I’m luckier than the students who got stuck with a fully remote experience. I’ve had the privilege of socializing with coworkers and clients in person, really crafting an unforgettable experience that simulates reality,” said Lizier. “However, I’m only three months [into the co-op] and I am completely exhausted. I’m definitely jealous of those with a hybrid model.”

The preference for a hybrid working model is not exclusive to Northeastern students. A study conducted by Zippia indicates that 74% of United States based companies have implemented or plan to use a hybrid model. Similarly, the study shows that 83% of workers would prefer a hybrid model in the future.

Sofia Selman, a hybrid fall 2021 operations co-op at The TJX Companies Inc., reflects on how the pandemic has shifted the narrative. “A silver lining from COVID is that it took millions of people to get sick for companies to realize the importance of employee wellness,” said Selman. “By force, companies and employers had to step back, giving employees everywhere the work-life balance they deserve.”

The reality, however, is that hybrid work models are not a fruit of the COVID-19 pandemic. Hybrid employment existed long before, but gained popularity due to the pandemic because of the flexibility required in times of uncertainty. Just like that, the word hybrid has become part of our daily vocabularies, and it might be for the best.

“I am grateful for the valuable learning experience I’m gaining from being fully in-person at Northstar, but I think my experience would be just as rewarding if I were coming into the office three times instead of five” said Lizier, who compares his experience to that of his peers constantly. He describes hybrid employees as apple trees, saying that in order for them to produce the juiciest fruit, they need a break from the work, “a little sun and water; a little rest, a little balance.”

The comparison to nature brings up an important idea of productivity in the workplace. Being away from the office, away from supervisors and managers, there is always the question of the quality and quantity of work being produced. Hoyle describes working from home as a more relaxed way to work, but remains adamant about the fact he still feels completely involved. “My team is very welcoming, and they create a structure and environment that makes remote working more dynamic and exciting,” he said.

He believes that if he were in a hybrid model, the productivity would be the same, but the motivation would increase, and so would finances.

According to Forbes, many studies regarding productivity in a hybrid environment have been conducted. They all indicate that remote and hybrid employees are just as productive, if not more, than their regular in-person counterparts. In parallel, this research also shows that remote workers can save companies up to $11,000 a year, resulting in a 21% increase in profitability.

The authenticity of a work experience seems to come from the effort put in by the employer and employee. Northeastern students across majors and career interests have shown that the incentive to make the most out of their experiential learning cycles is clearly there, regardless of the working structure. While there are certain upsides and downsides to different models, the uncertainty of what the professional future holds serves as motivation for employees to make the best out of the situation they’ve been handed. There’s no way of knowing what the new normal will look like, but Northeastern students have proven they are prepared.