The role of access control in enabling more flexible working

Office-based working, telecommuting, work-from-home (WFH), co-working spaces and hotdesking: All these habits and schedules are now part of the mix, almost everywhere.

As the fixed “working day” declines, people come and go at different times, with changing schedules, irregular patterns and a mix of different places where they work. This presents a challenge which many existing access control systems and workflows were not built to meet.

Many of the old certainties are replaced by questions. How can I now ensure the right people — and only the right people — get seamless access when they need? How do I foster a sense of comfort and safety among workplace users — and peace of mind for the facility managers — even as people come and go in less predictable day-to-day patterns?

The role of access control: same demands, new challenges

Access control has always been critical for building security. Changing work patterns, however, mean monitoring and filtering who can go where — and at what times — is becoming even more essential. They ensure staff and visitors move safely and conveniently into and around the workplace.

Mechanical lock-and-key security has established centuries of trust. It works. But it is neither flexible nor intelligent enough to meet these new challenges.

Electronic access control, on the other hand, has this flexibility. And the quickest way to implement it — to enable a fast, efficient move to secure hybrid working — is wirelessly.

The wireless advantage for modern workplaces

The control enabled by wireless, battery-powered door locks managed by intuitive software gives facility managers the power to issue more fine-grained access permissions. Employees, contractors, cleaners, event attendees and visitors can all get the access they need — no more and no less.

Credentials may be programmed to unlock doors during specific timeframes, so staff enter only when scheduled, for example. Facility managers can regulate daily access to keep building occupancy within capacity.

Last-minute or emergency changes to access rights are no problem, because credentials have flexibility that mechanical keys do not. With the remote management functionality, office managers can perform any operation remotely, even if they are away from the premises. In case of an emergency, they could lock or open doors remotely, for example.

Mobile credentials offer even more: They can update over the air in an instant, via software which can provide control in real time, from anywhere and around the clock.

“An access system which offers this degree of control, and more, is much easier to adopt than many business owners and managers imagine,” says Mikel Gaztañaga at ASSA ABLOY Opening Solutions.

“It can provide the backbone for more efficient management of people and their security as work becomes more flexible. The right solution should also integrate with important flexible office services like support ticketing, room bookings and more.”

Wireless, battery-powered devices are fast to install and run without any mains connection. They are easy to retrofit without damaging walls and use little energy during use, unlike equivalent wired doors. Their cost-effectiveness enables fitting at many more doors than would be feasible with any alternative solution.

Flexible access control required for a flexible co-working space

In the co-working sector, flexible access to offices is a priority. As “fixed” space rented by corporations begins to fall, co-working spaces are expected to keep growing. In one recent survey, 69% of large companies “identified flexible office space as the most in-demand amenity of the future”^**.

To stand out from the competition, the founders of ULab in Alicante wanted the latest in security, accessibility and design to create their 21^st-century business centre^***.

Flexible and wire-free, a SMARTair^® system gives ULab real-time access control via credentials which are easy to program and reprogram. ULab managers chose Openow^™, the Mobile Key solution for SMARTair. It gives workspace residents an option to carry virtual keys on their smartphone. It’s slick, efficient and gives ULab users and managers even more flexibility.

SMARTair software manages access for ULab’s 100 daily users. They also have the flexibility to welcome many more visitors when the event space is full.

“In addition to regular daily traffic, weekly traffic can almost multiply by 10 if an event is held,” says Enrique Burgos Pérez, Director at ULab. “We needed an access control system as flexible and convenient as SMARTair.”

To learn more about how access control can help support a flexible working model, you can download our solution guide at https://campaigns.assaabloyopeningsolutions.eu/smartair-coworking

*: https://futureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Future-Forum-Pulse-Report-January-2022.pdf
**: https://gcuc.co/12-key-statistics-about-the-undeniable-rise-of-coworking/
***: https://youtu.be/lNyw7xjwMRM