Building security technology today is way past grainy CCTV footage and physical visitor logbooks. Thanks to the development of modern technology, both residential and commercial buildings benefit from increased levels of security, be it against theft, trespassing, robbery, or any other untoward event.
Here are some of the best advancements in security technology that every modern office should have.
1. Access control system
Every office–or any commercial building, for that matter, should have a reliable access control system such as Brivo access control. In fact, having this security feature is more of a necessity nowadays than a luxury, as technology continues to develop at breakneck speed.
Simply put, an access control system is an electronically powered form of physical security that controls access to a building, room, or particular area. It eliminates the need for traditional keys and helps ensure that only authorized personnel has access to a certain room or area. This type of system uses credentials to allow access, and this may be in the form of an ID, a key card, or stored information on a mobile device.
With the increased security that an access control system provides, an office can reduce the risk of theft, trespassing, and data breaches, among other threats. If employees work at different times (which is a common set-up in many modern offices), an access control system can also provide freedom to work when they need to, without having to wait for someone to open the doors.
2. Advanced surveillance system
As mentioned before, security technology has long since passed low-quality security camera footage. Today, surveillance systems capture higher-definition video, have significantly larger storage capacities, and have a myriad of features that weren’t possible for security cameras before, including low-light vision, audio recording, and remote access from computers or mobile devices.
Any modern office should also have modern surveillance systems. With advanced security cameras, it is much easier to predict certain incidents and prevent them from happening, as well as to review incidents that do manage to occur, both inside and outside the office building.
Take this scenario, for example, an employee leaves the office late and walks to the parking lot alone. The security guard on duty is behind the monitors and spots a suspicious figure loitering in the parking lot. With the low-light capabilities and high-definition capabilities of advanced security cameras, the security guard is better able to see what’s happening in the parking lot, and can thus act quicker if said suspicious figure attempts to harm the employee.
3. Reception kiosk
A reception kiosk or visitor management system can be found in a lot of different facilities, including doctor’s offices, dental clinics, banks, hotel lobbies, and, of course, offices. The main purpose of a reception kiosk is to allow visitors to check-in without having to interact with a human receptionist, making the check-in process easier and allowing the actual receptionist to focus on more important tasks.
Generally, the system collects data regarding the visit, such as the date, check-in time, basic information of the visitor, the reason for visiting, the host, and the check-out time. Data collection is then much more efficient, and offices don’t need to spend money on manual logbooks.
Apart from streamlining the check-in process, visitor management systems help increase office security by keeping track of all people entering or leaving the premises, serving as an investigative tool in case a crime occurs, and being an effective crime deterrent. Some visitor management systems are also able to print identification badges that visitors can wear during their entire stay in the office, making it easier for personnel to spot anyone who doesn’t belong.
4. Gun-detection technology
Mass shootings can happen anywhere and at any time, including offices. The harrowing Capital Gazette shooting wherein a gunman killed five employees and injured two others is just one example.
While better gun control is the best option to prevent these shootings, schools, malls, offices, and other commercial buildings can take initiative by using gun-detection technology to spot a potential active shooter before they open fire. This type of technology uses AI to identify guns among a crowd, marks the carriers as suspicious, then goes on red alert if it detects a real threat (e.g. the carrier pulling out the gun), and notifies the police in seconds.
Offices are not very common places for crime, but the threat of theft, trespassing, assault, and other types of crime is never zero. With these high-tech security measures in place, however, modern offices can reduce the risk of these threats to the lowest that they can be.
