Office Access Control Guide: How To Protect Your Premises
Every year, theft and criminal activity cost businesses hundreds of thousands of pounds in the UK. And while you might think that offices aren’t as vulnerable as retail stores, there is still a crucial need for securing offices from trespassers and criminals.
At Lock & Key Centre, we offer a range of access control options to secure businesses in Aylesbury and Buckinghamshire. In this article, we’ll cover what exactly access control is in more detail, why it’s important and what to consider.
What is office access control?
An office access control system is something that can regulate who you let enter and exit your office or specific spaces within your building. The purpose of this is to restrict access to unauthorised personnel, safeguarding your business assets but also the physical well-being of your employees.
Office access control can come in a variety of forms, from card and fob entry systems to biometrics for credentials, as well as monitored access points if you operate a larger office complex.
Why do offices need access control?
For office security
First and foremost, access control systems for offices help to protect your employees, sensitive information and equipment, while generally preventing trespassers or opportunistic thieves.
For monitoring
With every employee required to use their fob, keycard, pin or other credentials, you can accurately monitor who enters and exits. This is useful to not only assess the security of your building, with an audit trail, but it also helps those in charge to understand how many people are in the building should there be an emergency evacuation.
For compliance
It’s not always thieves that access control systems aim to keep out. Some offices may have areas that certain employees are not authorised to access, often for health and safety or compliance reasons.
For efficiency
Rolling together all of the above points, an access control system allows you to streamline access to your business for those who are authorised, eliminating the need for physical keys that cannot be traced.
Types of door entry systems
There are several different types of door entry systems, giving offices a variety of options depending on the industry sector they operate in and the level of security required. These include:
- Keypad systems – ideal for smaller offices
- Card systems – ideal for easy swiping or tapping access
- Biometric systems – ideal for high-security needs, utilising fingerprints, facial or iris recognition
- Mobile-based systems – a high-tech solution where mobile devices grant remote access
What to consider when choosing an access control system
When considering an access control system for your office, ask yourself the following questions to help you decide what you need:
- What is the risk level within my building?
- Does the system need to be scalable and flexible if the business grows?
- Will we need the system to integrate with CCTV, alarms or other security measures?
- How user-friendly does the system need to be?
- Are there fire safety-related regulations the office needs to meet?
Why do businesses choose Lock & Key Centre?
We’ve helped countless businesses, including offices, across Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes to secure their premises. But why do they choose us? Here are just four reasons:
- Our experts are backed by over 40 years of experience working with commercial properties
- We provide a rapid, reliable service across the region so you’re never left waiting
- We customise access control solutions to the needs of your business
- We’re here for you, with ongoing support and maintenance after installation when you need us
Contact us today to discuss which access control systems are best for your office building and we’ll be happy to help. Our professional team will handle the installation and demonstrate how the system works so that you’re fully confident in your security solution.