For the past year, business owners have had to find innovative ways to maintain business in an unpredictable environment. While some sectors, like construction, have continued to transact in-person, others have been forced to close doors and either furlough staff or ask them to work from home.
Many of us have had to adapt to working from home, and some fortunate people have made the move from the kitchen table to a home office in the garden.
Securing home offices in the remote work revolution
While some employees may return to shared workspaces full-time, others will continue to work remotely or adopt a hybrid approach – only going into the workplace when necessary.
In this remote work revolution, many employees will be keeping sensitive data and expensive equipment at home for long periods. This situation throws up risk challenges for business owners and employees.
Many business owners will be pleased to know that they can maintain control of their assets from a distance by encouraging employees to use keyless access control solutions for access to their home offices and cabinets. Coded mechanical and electronic locks are simple and cost-effective to install, and can enhance security measures as effectively in the home, as they have done for decades in the workplace.
Pressing reset on workplace access
As restrictions begin to lift and we see a phased return to work, those responsible for managing workplaces will need to find new ways to keep properties and people safe. This period of transition provides an opportunity for business owners and facilities managers to reconsider the processes and technologies they use for access control and security.
For architects and construction firms, this means both upgrading their own work premises, as well as designing and building COVID-19 safety measures into projects for clients. One way to do this is to make use of innovative keyless access control solutions.
Smart locks for smart systems
Anyone who has managed a construction site over the last year will know how labour-intensive adhering to contact-tracing guidelines can be. Smart locks negate the need for paper contact-tracing systems, as access is only given to users that have a code and have provided their details. By linking codes to individual users and looking at the lock’s audit trail, site managers or facilities managers can see who has entered which area and when. Installing smart access control can assist with managing numbers of people in areas and any track-and-trace communications required.
The installation of smart locks can be particularly impactful in modern workplaces. Due to the safety challenges presented by COVID-19, multi-purpose agile areas, shared meeting rooms, relaxation areas and more must either be closely managed by staff or closed off to employees. Smart locks give businesses the ability to keep these spaces open, making the return to work a more enticing prospect for many.
In most buildings, doors become bottlenecks that represent a significant hygiene risk. Anti-bacterial finishes can also be applied to locks, helping to reduce the transmission of viruses and with cleaning maintenance. At a time when workplaces need to take all measures possible to stay open, this new anti-bacterial protection is welcome.
Reducing costs in challenging times
We have already seen how smart access solutions can reduce the time spent on administration as workplaces re-open. However, smart locks have another advantage – they can greatly reduce the costs associated with managing workplace access.
After a year of lockdowns and disruption, businesses are looking for ways to reduce costs. Yet, to re-open safely, many are having to pay for extra equipment and staff to ensure compliance with re-opening guidance. With a smart lock access control solution, time-sensitive codes can be created and sent to employees, maintenance staff or guests. This removes the need for a costly and consistent staff presence at the front door.
By offering smart access control solutions to existing and future clients, contractors, developers, engineers and architects can help save clients money and future-proof buildings against changing needs.
Smart solutions for the future of work
The flexibility offered by coded access control locks makes them suitable for a wide range of applications, including safeguarding doors, cabinets and lockers. They range from simple mechanical locks to sophisticated electronic locks, hardwearing marine-grade locks and smart access solutions. If you’re looking for ways to make the evolving workplace safe for a return to work, a keyless access solution is a good place to start.
