The Light at the End of the Tunnel and Access Control is More Essential than Ever
It was a year of challenges, isolation, and changes. The very fabric of business was altered. The need for security had been growing over the last few years, but when COVID hit, access control became more important. Since many people were working from home, empty office spaces needed to be protected. Visitors needed to be monitored, and temperature screening became essential. Now that we see the light at the end of the tunnel, we realize that many of the access control technologies used last year will be with us in the future.
This article describes how the world changed during the Pandemic and how many things have been altered forever.
Door Access Control and the New Office
The wrenching experience of the Pandemic forced a workplace exodus that proved that people could be productive even when they were not all in one place. People actually found that they could work from anywhere there was an Internet connection. If you wanted to move out of the city and ski in Colorado, why not? The connections were just as good in the mountains as it was in the city. This new paradigm caused a change in the centralized office concept. There were fewer people in the facility and almost no visitors. Suddenly it was more important to lock the door.
Touchless Door Entry
With the latest door access control systems, your smartphone or biometric credential could provide touchless door entry. It was no longer necessary to carry a card credential that could be forgotten or lost.
Because of the Pandemic, people installed touchless entry devices. The touchless entry will continue to be important because it not only helped to reduce the transmission of COVID it also decreased the spread of other transmittable diseases. The number of people who got the flu was reduced by wearing masks and keeping our hands clean.
Access Control for the Elevator
With fewer people in the facility, it was essential to monitor and control people as they moved around the organization—elevator access control was the best way to control access to each organization’s floor. The same door access credential used to open the front door could be used in the elevator.
The door reader, installed inside the elevator, determines which floors a specific person can select on the button panel. Door readers were available that read a card credential or a fingerprint or other biometric credential. It was also possible to place a reader at the elevator entrance to restrict who could use the elevator.
Door Access Control Integration with IP Camera Systems
IP camera systems have become more critical during the last year. The IP cameras were focused on entry areas and integrated with the access control systems. This allowed people to be monitored as they entered and left the building. It also ensured that they used the temperature scanning panels.
IP cameras continued to be important by providing surveillance around the facility. They watched the parking lots and the entry doors. Schools used IP cameras to ensure that people maintained healthy distances and didn’t enter restricted areas.
Access Control and Temperature Monitoring
Temperature screening became a part of our daily lives. Whenever we entered a building, someone stopped us to ask health questions and measured our temperature.
The new temperature scanning panels provided automatic screening by measuring temperature and even ask the health questions.
They were tied to door access control to ensure that people with abnormal temperatures couldn’t enter the facility. To learn more, read our article about Integrating Access Control and Temperature Screening.
The new biometric door reader panels included face recognition and temperature monitoring.
Apartment Building Intercoms for Visitor Management
During the Pandemic, there was an increased demand for apartment intercoms.
These video-intercoms replaced the old analog audio systems.
The new wireless intercom allows you to contact the resident’s smartphone or standard phone to request entry into the building. The lobby intercom display provides a list of all the tenants in the building.
These new video intercoms will continue to be popular because the Pandemic demonstrated its value in improving security.
Door Access Control Summary
The Pandemic forced us to do things we thought were not possible. One of the significant changes was working outside the office. The work-at-home concept was an anathema to many organizations. Still, the forced exodus demonstrated that not only was decentralized working possible; it was also beneficial in many types of jobs. Door access control systems evolved and were used more extensively to monitor the less populated organization environments. Temperature testing and touchless entry became a necessity. All these technologies will continue to be important in the future.
For help selecting the right door access control system, please contact us at 800-431-1658 in the USA, 914-944-3425, everywhere else, or use our contact form.