One of the easiest ways to boost security at your organization is to invest in a photo ID system.
Whether it’s custom photo badges for your organization or matching driver’s licenses to a photo in the company’s database, a photo helps validate a person’s identity.
While they can be faked, it’s far more difficult than the movies make it seem. When it’s fairly simple and inexpensive to implement, why not add as an extra security measure?
Verifies Identities
The most obvious benefit of using a photo ID system at your organization is to verify identities. Anyone could walk into your business and claim to be a certain person, but how do you know?
All someone would need to do is know the name of an actual employee at your organization. If it’s the employee’s first day, someone could easily come in earlier and pose as that employee. They could steal data, physical items or even worse.
By having a photo on file and requiring a photo ID when employees and visitors enter, you verify identities. It’s a simple step, but one that can keep your entire organization safer.
Reduces Unauthorized Access
If your organization has multiple areas with restricted access, you’ll want a universal photo ID system. While security guards can check names off a list, having an actual ID or even installing a biometric security system ensures only the right people gain access to restricted areas.
For instance, FedEx created their own cost-effective system to provide photo IDs to restrict access to different buildings, parking areas and more. The new IDs helped boost security and better maintain regulatory compliance.
Keep Track Of Employees
Do you know what areas your employees access throughout the day or when? By requiring a photo ID, employees can’t slip use someone else’s sign in/out codes to come and go. For instance, one employee couldn’t punch a time card for both them and another employee if a photo ID is required to enter the building.
You’d instantly know something was up if an employee punched in, but was never listed as showing their ID that morning.
Of course, photo IDs allow you to know for certain if an employee enters a restricted area, without wondering if someone is just sharing their access code.
Better Manage Visitors
One area where organizations are often slack in the security department is visitors. It’s not unusual for visitors to come and go without any checks outside of asking for directions to a specific office.
If they are checked, someone just verifies the name or gives them a universal visitor’s pass. Should the visitor cause trouble and walk out, you might not have a clear picture of them to give to local law enforcement.
Some businesses are creating temporary paper photo IDs to help verify a visitor. They first show an acceptable photo ID, such as a driver’s license. The organization then prints a paper ID with a unique visitor number that the system logs along with their visit time/length. Their photo is added to the ID to better track where they go while they’re in the building.
Limit Parking
It’s difficult for security guards to monitor parking lots. With so many different vehicles coming and going, it’s sometimes hard to verify who belongs and who doesn’t.
By having photo IDs, guards are able to do a quick check to ensure everyone in the vehicle is supposed to be there. It only takes a few seconds for a guard to compare an ID to what’s on their list of acceptable names/faces.
Of course, business IDs can be used and scanned to make the process even faster. Guards would only need to check IDs if there are multiple people in the vehicle.
Contact BOS Security
Adding photo IDs are just another way to boost your organization’s security. Want to make them more effective by adding security guards too? Call us at 404-793-6965 to learn more today.
Curious what areas of your organization could use a security boost? Learn more about our free Security Needs Assessment and how it benefits your business.
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