Abstract
The widespread COVID-19 pandemic between 2020 and 2021 significantly accelerated the rise of remote working. During this period, various social structures, including work arrangements, faced challenges in managing interactions. Consequently, most companies had to adopt either a hybrid or fully remote work model to ensure business continuity.
For graduates entering the workforce for the first time during the pandemic, this period marked a transition from academic to professional life in an unfamiliar environment. They had to adjust and find ways to integrate themselves into their organisations.
This study aimed to understand the experiences of young graduates entering a remote working environment, particularly those living in Soweto township. Soweto is characterized by limited community facilities and commercial investment, high unemployment, low household income, and overcrowded family homes. The study sought to understand how young graduates navigated the remote working landscape while dealing with these realities.
To gather relevant information, graduates aged 22 to 26 who had been working for various banking institutions during the pandemic participated in semi-structured online in-depth interviews.
The study's findings revealed that several factors influence the remote working experiences of young graduates, including socio-economic status and work culture. Graduates came from households with varying socio-economic backgrounds, and their experiences differed based on their family structures and the support and integration measures implemented by their employers.