Hybrid Working ‘Has Worked Well’

HYBRID working has been a success and is likely to remain in place for those Hampshire Police officers who are able to do it, the Chair of Hampshire Police Federation has said.

Two years after the beginning of the pandemic, Zoë Wakefield said that most COVID-19 restrictions had been lifted for Hampshire officers, although there was still some mask-wearing and social distancing.

She said: “In terms of officers working from home, I think that it’s worked well. I think any concerns the force had about productivity haven’t come to fruition because some officers are actually more productive at home than they are in the office with the distractions of other people.

“So I think the hybrid model – working from home sometimes, coming into the office sometimes – will remain for those officers in departments that can accommodate it.”

Zoë continued: “I don’t think COVID is a factor in low police morale anymore. The biggest issues for officers in terms of morale are pay, the negativity in the press and obviously the way they’re being treated by the Government.”