A business must protect its tangible and intangible assets against theft, damage, and loss. Doing so helps reduce the costs of insurance, compensation, and other expenses it has to pay the stakeholders, which ultimately leads to higher business revenues and lower operational costs.
In all likelihood, you might have set up your office in a safe location. But that does not mean you can overlook security, as even the most so-called secure spots can quickly become a go-to venue for a crime. Fortunately, technology has come a long way. So we have several reliable tools that can help us to keep this threat at a safe distance.
Like most owners, do you also get overwhelmed by the options of security tech and gadgets as you shop around? Not anymore. We have enlisted some of the best options below:
#1 Video Surveillance
To capture criminals who steal or vandalize company property, install video surveillance systems inside and outside your workplace. That way, the police will be able to use the video footage in their investigation. Video surveillance cameras can also record employee theft. Besides, these cameras serve as a source of a deterrent by discouraging criminal activities to a great degree.
CCTV cameras are much easier to maintain than other latest security solutions. There are many CCTV camera options available such as an IP network camera or thermal camera. But you should narrow down your focus to resolution and sharpness while buying a CCTV camera.
#2 Motion Detectors
For a modern-day organization, a truly integrated security system is virtually incomplete without motion sensors. Quality motion detectors are designed to detect intruders and subsequently transmit a signal. The sensors are typically mounted on the ceiling or high enough to the wall so that they have full vision of the entire room. They have a high level of accuracy, ranging from 90 to 95 percent, which makes them an essential component of security and automated lighting control.
However, motion detectors are classified into multiple categories. We are briefly describing some popular types of motion detectors below that will enable you to pick the one that goes best with your workplace needs:
- Passive infrared: Passive infrared (PIR) sensors detect body heat by looking for temperature changes. That way, it activates an alarm and notifies authorities to take prompt action. Arguably, this is the most widely-used motion sensor for office security systems.
- Microwave: Microwave (MW) sensor emits microwave pulses and measures reflections off moving objects. However, they cover a greater area than infrared and are more susceptible to electrical interference.
- Dual technology: These hybrid-type sensors combine active and passive infrared detectors. Dual-tech sensors only function when both active and passive infrared sensors pick up movement and body heat. This feature makes it a highly effective sensor that seldom turns on for minor or insignificant issues. Most dual sensors are used in areas with high occupancies, such as classrooms and conference rooms.
#3 Smart Locks
Smart locks are essential for the safety of your workplace. Employees will feel safer if a smart lock is integrated into your security system. These tiny devices are more convenient than physical keys because it is not easy for people to create copies (of keys). Additionally, you can control them via an authorized device. You only need to head to a specific application to grant a deny access to the smart lock.
One of the most stand-out features of smart locks is that they are incredibly easy to manage. For example, access control is a traditional method that is painstakingly complex. It includes creating hundreds of user profiles and matching credentials/physical keys. On the other hand, smart locks cut down all these troubles. They dramatically reduce the time and eradicate one-on-one contact, which is especially important during this pandemic. Users can self-register using an application.
Additionally, you can revoke smart keys immediately after being granted. Even before the smart lock is installed, building managers can enroll individuals. You can change the schedule of access in just a few clicks.
#4 Biometric Authentication
Biometric authentication is rapidly gaining ground in the world. It is because traditional authentication methods are becoming prone to security breaches. Primarily, the biometric technology eliminates the need to create different passwords and worry about how they are kept safe each time you sign into an online application or website.
Customers today value speed and convenience, so using biometrics to authenticate your account offers seamless onboarding. The best part is that installing a biometric system has become easier than ever before. Besides, as this technology becomes more common, the prices have also come down over time. It is a popular choice for banks and financial institutions. You can connect the security device directly to the entry and exit points of the office. It uses fingerprint or retina scanning to operate. The market offers multiple variants of biometric technology such as:
- Fingerprint scanning: As the name signifies, the fingerprint recognition system identifies specific characteristics within the line pattern of the finger’s surface. Fingerprint identification is a well-known technology that most companies widely use. It is also very affordable and straightforward to use. However, the quality of fingerprint recognition systems can differ significantly.
- Voice recognition: Voice recognition is a tool to compare a spoken phrase with a digital template. Just like fingertips, each person’s voice contains distinguished characteristics.
- Iris recognition: Frank Bursch, an ophthalmologist, first suggested using iris scanning technology in 1936. This biometric authentication method, which is currently the most accurate, is carried out with dedicated iris scanners.
- Facial recognition: The facial recognition system analyzes the position and shape of various parts of the face. Sometimes, surface features such as skin are taken into consideration. Face recognition is a subset of face detection technology that is used to identify faces within complex images. To its credit, the technology has advanced rapidly of late.
Conclusion
As time goes by, workplace security is becoming increasingly important. So much so, talented employees might even not choose to work for your company citing poor security as a significant reason. But the good news is that ensuring robust security in the office does not have to be stressful anymore. You can accomplish this objective by simply investing in the gadgets and tools listed above.