Dirk Welch, Regional Sales Manager, Traka explores how enhanced technology is impacting office workflow and workplaces.
Of all the ways the pandemic has changed how we live and work, its impact on office environments stands out.
After being forced to work remotely during most of 2020-2021, many companies evaluated their in-office experience.
Because a significant number are now offering fully remote options, those that do maintain a physical office need to have the right infrastructure to accommodate and entice current and future employees.
While amenities may be the flashy offerings that are displayed across company websites, social media and employee handbooks, it’s equally important for employers to have the proper internal resources so employees can operate in a secure environment.
It sends a clear message that a workplace values its employees’ safety and is committed to an efficient ecosystem.
For many offices, security begins with access control – who has access to what, where and for how long.
Physical keys remain the cornerstone of access control and how a company manages their distribution reveals how streamlined its processes are.
An increasing number of companies are leveraging intelligent key cabinets to safely store and assign keys to a variety of departments within their buildings.
A manager designates who has access to which keys and assigns a curfew to that key, so if it’s not returned by a certain time, the manager is notified.
This reduces the likelihood of lost or stolen keys and instills a sense of accountability among employees.
For larger companies that have multiple buildings or locations, multiple key cabinets are typically required, which allows managers to have a comprehensive view of all key usage.
Key cabinets in a workplace are also integrated into a company’s access control software, so that they produce an audit report of all usage.
This is helpful for a workplace or company to remain in compliance with security regulations, which continue to evolve on a seemingly daily basis, including for cybersecurity efforts.
An interesting component of cybersecurity is, of course, data management, be it on-site in a server room or off-site at a physical data center.
These facilities are growing exponentially in the US, as our reliance on data permeates nearly every aspect of our daily lives.
Companies need to protect their data at all costs, as a breach could be detrimental to their reputation and have a catastrophic impact financially.
Server rooms need to have the highest level of security, which includes physical key management, both as a primary access credential and as a redundant asset in the event of an attack.
Keys that access server rooms should be monitored closely and kept in cabinets that require strict credentials, which can include multi-factor authentication, including biometrics.
When those cabinets are integrated with the access control system of a workplace, a manager can revoke access comprehensively so that if an employee leaves or is fired, the likelihood of their retaliating is reduced.
Certainly, workplace and office security involves more than just physical keys.
As part of the evolution in physical office environments, many companies have consolidated operations and are occupying a shared space with other tenants, and/or are working in an open concept office.
As such, there’s a need for personnel deposit lockers, which can store personal effects during the day, as well as shared devices that multiple employees or tenants need access to.
Modern deposit lockers can be managed remotely, and user access can be activated or deactivated instantly.
This helps reduce unauthorized access and managers can have a clear picture of who has access to which locker and when.
This is especially useful for transient employees or vendors who need temporary access for a certain period, which can also be controlled by a manager through the locker’s integrated software platform.
An added benefit of these lockers in the workplace is that they are modular, which means different types of items can be kept in a single locker, which further consolidates resources and eliminates the need to have one type of locker for a certain item and a separate locker for another.
Regardless of how small or large the company is, solutions like intelligent key cabinets and personnel deposit lockers are about convenience and security, two benefits that resonate with nearly every employee.
Employers who are evaluating solutions for their effectiveness should consider implementing them in a phased approach.
For example, a company could install an intelligent key cabinet for maintenance staff keys first.
If proven successful, that company has built-in ambassadors who can advocate its usage to other employees.
That internal buy-in to the positive impact of technology creates a foundation of trust among employees, especially when it concerns their safety.
Employers who achieve that demonstrate a proactive stance in adopting resources that’ll help employees perform better, which can ultimately impact their bottom line.
Moreover, it can be an important step towards employee retention, which continues to be a major issue for many companies.
When workers have the necessary resources, it can go a long way in improving their overall experience and potentially keep them coming back to the workplace.
Key cabinets and personnel deposit lockers are two examples of emerging technologies that not only empower employees to do their jobs but also help improve operations in the modern workspace, which continues to evolve every day.
This article was originally published in the September edition of Security Journal Americas. To read your FREE digital edition, click here.