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The future of workplace access

Sam Cherif.

Following digital transformation reshaping workplaces worldwide, enterprises are seeking solutions that provide flexible, multi-location, and hybrid work styles. These include mobile-enabled technologies to reimagine employee access management, catering to remote work conveniences while enhancing security.

But the mobile access trend is being driven by more than convenience. Because it eliminates reliance on physical cards or badges, supports multiple security protocols, and adds layers of security on top of basic card encryption, mobile credentials are substantially more secure than physical access control.

Mobile access control is also more flexible and agile, so it can be tailored for use in multiple environments – making it ideal for mixed-use or multi-tenant properties. And now, with the integration with digital wallets, mobile access represents a pivotal shift in how individuals navigate modern building environments, offering a glimpse into the future of hybrid work styles.

Mobile access through digital wallets simplifies access control to buildings and takes the user experience to new levels. While digital wallets have been around for payment transactions for some time, they are now holding medical prescriptions, travel documents, driving licences, ID cards, insurance information, and employee badges.

By having their badges in digital wallets, employees can identify themselves to their employers with their smartphone or smartwatch, and seamlessly access office doors, elevators, turnstiles, parking lots and many other building amenities solely through their smart devices. There is no need to carry physical plastic badges or keycards. To use this simple and digital form of authentication, all businesses need is a mobile-enabled reader such as HID Signo.

This streamlined experience enhances user satisfaction and productivity, not to mention reducing plastic consumption. The result is the ideal trifecta of security, flexibility, and convenience.

Below are a few benefits of the integration of mobile access with digital wallets:

Enhanced and streamlined security: Biometric authentication, such as facial and fingerprint recognition, adds an extra layer of security to verify the user's identity. The encryption technologies used in digital wallets ensure the secure storage and transmission of digital credentials.

Frictionless experience: Thanks to NFC technology, users can access places quickly and safely. It's as easy and secure as they're used to with contactless payments, ticketing or transit.

Sustainable savings: Adopting HID Mobile Access eliminates the need for producing and distributing physical badges, reducing associated costs such as printing, maintenance, and replacement. This shift to digital credentials also aligns with sustainability goals by reducing plastic waste.

Convenience and uninterrupted access: If the user's mobile device needs a charge, their badge will still work for up to five hours with power reserve/saver mode.

Protection on lost or stolen devices: If the device is lost or stolen, the Find My app allows users to lock or locate the lost or stolen device to help locate their device, and to suspend or remotely erase their badge.

Improved efficiency and scalability: Remote management and updating of credentials are possible through the HID Origo cloud platform. The modular, multilayered secure infrastructure is validated by industry-leading certifications, and is fully committed to via HID's service-level agreements and support. Using Origo's cloud-connected access control devices, applications, and trusted mobile identities, organisations can enhance security, improve workplace efficiency, and scale their access control infrastructure.

As more mobile use cases arise, their benefits will drive yet more innovation. Employee badges in digital wallets will drive convenience, efficiency, sustainability, and a range of other pluses. This will encourage trust, cementing the acceptance of such solutions. They are, quite simply, the future.

Elevating the Security and Connected Access

British Land, one of Europe’s largest listed real estate investment companies, has deployed connected access at its Broadgate, 100 Liverpool Street office building in London. Through a collaboration between HID and SwiftConnect, people are using their employee badge in Apple Wallet to access this trophy building with their iPhones and Apple Watches.

British Land’s mobile access rollout marks a significant shift by leading commercial buildings to double-down on empowering people with self-service, on-demand access to more flexible and high-quality spaces.

Employees and tenants can add their employee badge to Apple Wallet after an initial set-up through the My Broadgate app, developed by Equiem. Using the My Broadgate app makes it easy for users to add their mobile credential to Apple Wallet, without the need for additional app downloads.

Once added to Apple Wallet, badges are provisioned using SwiftConnect AccessCloud, which brings together mobile platforms and enterprise systems that govern physical access. SwiftConnect’s AccessCloud integrates with British Land’s access control system and HID Origo, a cloud platform that enables lifecycle management of mobile credentials. The solution also leverages HID SEOS credential technology to deliver an intuitive, private and secure access transaction when a user presents their iPhone or Apple Watch to HID SIGNO and iCLASS SE Readers.

British Land is among a growing number of trophy building owners that are not only focused on user experience, efficiency, and security, but also sustainability. The green benefits of switching to HID-enabled SEOS mobile IDs, powered by the integrated SwiftConnect solution, include reduced waste, less use of plastic, lower energy consumption, and higher efficiency for a more positive environmental impact.

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