There are many threats facing the modern workplace. The Covid-19 pandemic put health at the top of the agenda, and we’re also concerned about the risk of unsafe working conditions. Workplaces also need to think about digital security, as the risk of ransomware attacks increases. With all of these threats to consider, you’d be forgiven for forgetting about security in your workplace.
Intruders can make employees feel unsafe, they can steal equipment, and they can also plant devices that make it possible to circumvent your cyber security measures. With this in mind, here are some simple and effective ways to protect your workforce.
Establish your workplace rules
The simplest way to step up security in the workplace is to establish some ground rules. If there are no rules, it will be easy for individuals to come and go. Partners and friends of workers might pop into the office without identifying themselves. This can make it difficult for security to know when someone is not supposed to be there.
By designating specific areas where visitors can and cannot go without first checking in, you’ll make it easier for your security team to take action. For example, you might decide that workers can have visitors meet them in the lobby of your building, but if they want to go into the office space, they need to check in.
It’s important for workers at every level of the organisation to respect these rules, as workers might decide to ignore them if they see senior management not following guidelines.
Utilise lanyards and ID cards
Lanyards offer a simple way to quickly identify workers from visitors. And if anyone isn’t wearing a lanyard, you can quickly spot them in a crowd. Many large organisations use lanyards and ID cards to ensure only those who are supposed to be there can gain access.
ID cards can be used on keycard entry pads to lock down specific areas and ensure only employees have access. The lanyard part allows them to keep track of their ID card while at work, but also offers a visual guide to your security team to help identify anyone who isn’t supposed to be there.
Guests can be given their own lanyard – and you can rotate the colours periodically – so that it is more difficult for intruders to forge lanyards to gain access.
Step up security
The simplest way to step up security is to decide the routine for when visitors arrive. If you know who is working for your company (and you can identify them with lanyards) then the only other people present should be visitors.
By implementing a system for visitors to check in and identify themselves, you can improve security by making it easy to identify anyone who shouldn’t be there. This will give workers the confidence to question if someone is in the wrong place. It will also make it easy for your security team to quickly identify anyone who is out of place.
Implement a sign-in system
Many companies utilise a digital sign in system that prints a temporary pass. This pass is printed with the individual’s photo and a time-sensitive stamp. This makes it difficult for the pass to be replicated as the time-sensitive stamp could change every day.
Pair these temporary security passes with brightly-coloured guest lanyards to ensure that your security team can quickly identify workers and guests. This allows them to quickly identify when someone needs to be approached to find out if they are supposed to be in the building.
If someone really wants to gain access to your workplace, there is a good chance they will find a way to do so, but these measures will make it easier to quickly identify them.
