What is the Main Purpose of Access Control?

The concept of the ‘office’ has had a major makeover in the past decade. Thanks to the pandemic, new technologies enabling new ways of working, and a general shift toward a more balanced working culture, we are hyper-connected and hyper-accessible. For the spaces we work in, this has some interesting security implications. 

Digital threats make headlines daily, but there’s a fundamental lack of urgency in most businesses around their physical security. It’s easy to see the online world as the most pressing one, especially if your business operates almost exclusively online (as many do). But if your office space, co-working space, building, or hybrid office is easily accessible, danger is a reality for you. Malicious actors can simply walk through your door unchallenged. 

Luckily, physical security has undergone its fair share of innovation as well. The access control system is one of the best ways to control who can access your commercial space, granting your employees and vetted individuals quick entry while keeping malicious actors firmly out. Let’s explore the main purpose of this kind of system, and whether it might be right for you. 

What does an access control system do?

The most common misconception is that access control systems are just about keeping intruders out. That is absolutely their core purpose, but they also offer many other functions that can make owning or occupying a commercial space much easier on you. 

The thing any access control system aims to achieve is something called ‘regulated flow’. Essentially, it comes down to three prongs:

• Authentication, where anyone who enters has proven their identity via an approved system.
• Authorisation, which confirms when people have permission to be in specific parts of the space or building at that time. 
• Audit, which records the entry and exit times of everyone accessing the space. 

These three things come together to build an accurate picture of a facility’s comings and goings, while creating a safe ecosystem that makes a thousand microdecisions per day. 

It’s granular, too. If you want your warehouse staff to have access to the loading bay from 6:00am to 6:00pm, but not the server room, you can do that. If your IT team needs 24/7 access to the server room but has no business being in the chemical storage area, you can do that. An access control system is great for external security, but it’s also excellent for managing internal mishaps that arise from someone being in the wrong spot at the wrong time.

Why do you need physical access control systems in your space?

These days, there is so much data and so much movement that manual security is almost always not feasible. Here is why a dedicated system is non-negotiable for modern businesses like yours:

• No more re-keying the property if an employee leaves the company. 
• Remote management that doesn’t require you to be on-site. 
• Integration with existing security systems, such as CCTV or alarm systems.
• No security risks arising from the “human” element, such as tiredness or interpersonal relationships. 

On top of these benefits, we feel it’s important to highlight two major benefits of installing a system like this.

Protecting your assets. 

We talk a lot about theft in the physical sense (a.k.a. Someone walking out with a laptop), but the bigger threat these days is the theft of data and trade secrets. If an unauthorised person gains access to a sensitive area, they just need thirty seconds with a USB drive to steal something valuable to your business.

Access control systems create concentric circles of security, so the farther someone gets into the building, the higher their clearance must be.

Making sure everyone is safe and compliant. 

In the highly regulated world we now live in, post-pandemic compliance guidelines are tight around building access. Knowing exactly who is in your building and where they are is a legal necessity, but it’s also extremely important for health and safety.

For example, if a fire alarm sounds at a random time on a quiet Tuesday, will you know how many people are in the building? Mustering reports from an in-house access control system can quickly tell you who tapped in that day, so you know if anyone was left behind. 

If you are in an industry that deals with food safety or hazardous materials, an access control system is even more important. In fact, it’s usually a mandatory compliance requirement to ensure that only trained individuals can enter high-risk or restricted areas. 

Ultimately, installing a modern access control system offers you a lot as a business owner. The best security measure is the kind you barely believe is there, one that is robust enough to stop a threat in its tracks, but flexible enough to grow with you as your business gains momentum.

So, whether you are a small boutique owner or a large commercial director, this kind of system is the answer to your security woes. 

Take control of your business’s security with DankoSec.

Here at DankoSec, we offer clear guidance and easy installation for a number of different access control systems. Whether you need to secure a parking garage or build a wide-spanning security network for your entire office building, we are here to help. 

Book an appointment with our in-house security experts today.