What will access control be like once all the noise of COVID-19 has settled? We predict the following will be the outcome of trends following the COVID-19 period:
1. Digital Employee, Contractor & Visitor Management Logs Will Become Essential
Visitor management will turn out to be progressively significant, particularly to record fundamental laborer visits and to track traffic. Security management may now be remotely based and it will be critical that they have a handle on each site.
2. Change in Access Control Flows & Designated Entry
Access/Control flows will need to be adapted for new governmental guidelines in terms of hygiene and in order to reduce the risk of re-transmission of the COVID-19 or any other virus. Sites will need to start implementing additional designated entry procedures. This will help reduce the number of individuals using elevators, lift lobbies, waiting rooms and transportation systems.
3. Cloud-Based Access Control Dashboards Will Become Crucial
What the coronavirus situation has shown is that it is important to be able to manage your site remotely. Cloud-based access control dashboards make remote monitoring simpler, as well as remote administration and reporting. Customers will now be seeking this from their access control supplier.
4. Increase in the Use of Contactless Credentials
Facial recognition may become more common as a form of credential, but with this technology some problems still remain. Contact fingerprint biometrics will be shunned and access control credentials such as QR codes, NFC cards, and access control for new projects will become common.
5. Reduced Access Control Foot Traffic
Many sites will see decreases in access control traffic for the next few months, as businesses or organisations will have more staff operating remotely from their homes. Jobs can also be split into different work hour / day shifts to minimize the risk and/or the number of employees in a building at once.
6. Stricter Guidelines on Access Management
When the risk increases, security managers may now want to be able to quickly modify network access rules and remotely control access and individual or global sites. There would also be greater transparency as to who has access to what areas / doors, and at what times.
7. Online Access Control Training
Live training sessions will be cut in the near future and online training will be expanded. Providers of access control systems would have to make sure their devices are simple to use and customize with limited online training.
8. Increase in the Use of Access Control and Electronic Automation of Apartment Buildings & Multi-Unit Residences
With more workers operating from home, property managers and tenant committees (corporate bodies) would want more influence over who has access to the site. This would include guests, contractors and short-term tenants.
The post-virus era will see an update of these access control and intercom systems as well as a full redesign of visitor management and access control designs for new projects.