Report: Pandemic has changed the outlook of workers on access control

Access control has traditionally been viewed by many workers as a necessary evil; a system that organizations must leverage to keep unauthorized persons out of the workplace but that also presents a hassle to those that may have mistakenly left their key card at home or had it malfunction for one reason or another. However, according to the results of a recent survey conducted by cloud and mobile access control technology provider Nexkey, the view of workers on the importance of access control has changed significantly in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.

In fact, the “2020 Access Control Trends Review,” which features responses from 1,264 office workers, found that 44% of employees feel that access control in more important in the wake of the pandemic and that 67% prioritize security over convenience now when it comes to choosing an access control system.

The survey also revealed some surprising results relative to mobile access technology. Though most workers (98%) indicated that they had a smartphone, only 5% of those surveyed said that they use their mobile device to unlock the doors at their workplace. Additionally, 41% of office workers said they use key cards to enter their office, yet the same amount of people said that smartphones or smartwatches would be their first choice for a credential.

Other findings from the survey included:

• 3 out of 4 people (74%) reported using keys, key cards or fobs. However, 41% said that they had these keys, key cards, and fobs lost or stolen while 34% let someone borrow them. 
• 67% of office managers are interested or very interested in managing access to the building with their smartphones.
• Most smaller businesses are limited to only a few doors with access control. At businesses with 51-250 people, 84% of them have fewer than four doors with access control and the same number of them (84%) want to add additional doors to their platforms. One of the biggest reasons why people held back was cost as 75% of all respondents reported that they would only pay up to $1,000 for an access control system.

“Players in the access control industry are severely underestimating the potential of the SMB market,” Eric Trabold, CEO of Nexkey, said in a statement. “They are missing out on a $10 billion industry where their products just don’t make the cut.”

For more information or to download a full copy of the report, click here.