ne of the fastest growing uses of identity cards is in the office. We’re used to seeing identity cards on employees in the service industry – nametags on restaurant servers and workers at retail shops and grocery stores. Large and small companies alike are also catching onto this trend and making identity cards for their employees and offices. Identity cards in the workplace can bring about many benefits for workers and management alike. In large companies especially, having a visible identity card with a photo, name, department and position can help employees in different areas of a company get to know each other and encourage friendships and familiarity in the work environment.

Improving Office Efficiency with Identity Cards

One thing that almost every office worker has in common is the time sheet. They’re integral to human resources departments, and they’re essential for getting a paycheck. Usually, an employee has filled out a time sheet (either by hand or on a computer) and forwarded it on to a supervisor for approval. This process has been used for years, but can have its faults. Sheets can be misplaced or inadvertently destroyed, and unless hours are filled out diligently and immediately upon arrival and leaving the workplace, records can be inaccurate. Also, the processing and handling of time sheets can be time consuming for supervisors, management and human resources staff. Identity cards are an easy way to help make the time sheet process more efficient. Used in conjunction with the appropriate ID card readers and ID card software, identity cards can be used for timekeeping and payroll. An employee simply swipes their card upon entering and leaving, during lunches and breaks. That’s it! Data is automatically stored to a central database and can be used as management wishes. This type of data capture also makes analysis of timekeeping records much easier.

Office Security with Employee Identity Cards

Another way that identity cards can benefit offices is by helping maintain security. This can be achieved in a number of ways:

• Visible identity badges – a prominently displayed ID badge displayed at all times, like in schools, can help security staff determine who should and should not be in an office easily.
• Access control – Access control systems use special software and ID card readers with employee identity cards to restrict access to a building or area. This type of system is valuable for businesses like banks and law firms which require a higher level of security. These systems can be implemented in several different ways –
• All visitors and staff come in through a central point, like a reception area, where cards are read and identity verified
• Independent access control points established at entrances- usually doors with identity card readers nearby. When an employee scans or swipes their identity card and is verified having permission to enter, the reader sends a signal to the door to unlock and allow entry.