There's no doubt that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a huge impact on our working lives. When social distancing measures were first introduced, most office workers quickly switched to remote working. The return to work is expected to be gradual, with physical contact being kept to a minimum. We can't predict the longer-term effects - though it's likely to be a game-changer for the way we work. In the meantime, while properties are standing empty, business owners, facilities managers and landlords have a chance to press the reset button and make changes and improvements to their offices.
If you're looking to ways to upgrade your premises while they are lying empty, installing smarter access control is a good place to start. The landscape of the office has changed in recent years - with many featuring breakout spaces, shared meeting rooms, multi-purpose agile areas, and more. This new style of office brings new challenges for access control. With more open areas, it is harder for businesses to keep track of who is in the office at any one time.It can also be necessary to restrict access to some rooms. The solution Codelocks provided for Porsche Centre, Preston, illustrate how smart access solutions can provide flexible access and efficient levels of security when required.
Due to its showrooms and workshops containing high value cars and equipment, Porsche Centre needed a way to restrict and permit access to certain areas in line with its business hours and needs. We recommended the CL5500 smart locks, as the NetCode® technology enables staff to generate and send codes for easy access. The locks' audit trail data can also be downloaded and viewed - allowing the Centre Principle to keep track of who enters which lock-controlled room, and at what time.
A smart lock solution is also ideal for larger office buildings and campuses. The flexibility it offers is ideal if you have a lot of people on site at different times - and even more so if staff are returning to work gradually and working staggered shifts. It can also reduce security costs and help to manage visitor, delivery driver and maintenance staff access. Codelocks' NetCode allows you to generate time-sensitive codes and grant temporary access, using either the Codelocks Application Programme Interface (API), the K3 Connect App or the online Codelocks Connect Portal. It enables you to set codes that will only work for specific date, time and duration and send them by email or SMS. Time-sensitive codes are more secure as they will not work outside the specified time slot. This makes them ideal for granting temporary access to service engineers and delivery personnel and for short or medium-term locker rental.
As employees return to work gradually, working in shifts and on alternate days to minimise contact, they will need secure storage for devices, laptops and personal belongings. Upgrading lockers with a contactless solution provides convenient access to valuables and reduces the need for physical contact between users, and with the locker. A card-operated lock, such as the new KL1100 RFID, is ideal for this situation. It has a slimline front plate that also acts as a locker handle.
For forward-thinking employers that seek to promote fitness and wellbeing within work premises, in the form of on-site gyms, cycle sheds, shower facilities and changing rooms, the KitLock range removes the need for the allocation and management of keys. It uses a four-digit code rather than a key and, when operated in Public Function, allows the user to enter a code to secure the locker. When its time to leave, the user can enter the same code again and the locker opens. The code is then automatically erased, leaving the locker free for the next person. An upgrade to the Classic is the upcoming KL1000 Classic+. This model induces a one to 24-hour auto-unlock function and up to 20 user codes.
As we return to work and embrace the 'new normal', many businesses will need to look at ways to facilitate social distancing for customers as well as employees. One way to do this is to offer self-service, thereby reducing the need for personal contact.
Innovative start up Pirate Studios was ahead of the curve when it decided to offer musicians self-service access to its rehearsal studios.
Codelocks fitted CL5510 Smart Locks on the front door and individual studio room doors, and KitLock by Codelocks on the storage for music equipment. These locks allow codes to be created via an online portal and issued to customers via email or SMS. This eliminated the need for staff to be onsite. Musicians now receive personalised codes for self-service access to the rehearsal space and storage lockers. If a musician needs to access their kit, but not a rehearsal space, they are given two codes: one for the front door and one for storage. Or, for studio room hires, musicians can be given a code for the front door and one for an individual rehearsal studio door.
As well as providing a better experience for musicians, Pirate Studios has reduced overheads by eliminating the need to have staff on site 24/7.
Solutions like this could also play an important part in helping to maintain social distancing as lockdown measures are gradually eased and hospitality and retail businesses begin to re-open.
30, Sep 2020
€511.00
