The balancing act: A qualitative study on remote work and childcare during the COVID-19 lockdown in South Africa

Abstract

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has impacted many employees' world by forcing some to remote work while caring for children. Methods: This study explored the remote working experiences of child caregivers in balancing work and childcare during the South African COVID-19 lockdown period (from 26 March 2020 to 31 December 2020). A qualitative descriptive design was employed to collect data through an online qualitative questionnaire with semi-structured questions. A final sample of 22 participants was included using purposive and snowball sampling. Results: Findings indicate that White South African employees experienced difficulty balancing work and childcare, which prompted them to use personal and organisational resources to restore work-life balance. These resources included people, spaces and time. Conclusions: This study provides insight for employers and healthcare workers into how remote workers balance work and childcare and can promote conversations or interventions on improving employee remote work experiences - especially in the unique South African context.