5 ways to use technology to strengthen your hybrid workspace’s physical and digital security

Security is something of a hot topic these days, with cyberattacks happening more frequently, and the large amount of user data that companies store. Indeed, with hybrid work models becoming increasingly more popular, being able to assure potential customers that your coworking or flex workspace employs stringent security measures can be a significant selling point. This is not limited to cyber security, however, as maintaining the physical workspace is just as important. 

This is backed up by Envoy’s 2020 Workplace Security Report, which found that IT and Security teams are pretty evenly split on the most vulnerable threats they face, with 57% suggesting it is Cyber Data Security, and 43% suggesting on-site physical security. Interestingly, 97% of both groups were in agreement that in order for physical security to be effective, it must be fully integrated with digital security.

How can this be done though, and what steps can you take to ensure your business and its users are as secure as possible? Well, there are a few things you can do to mitigate these risks, like having systems in place that help you manage access control to the building, using a workspace software to help you know who’s in the space at any time, but it’s also important that you define clear and structured internal processes for your team so that when a challenging situation arises, they know what to do. 

As you can imagine, when it comes to your physical workspace security we are talking about a lot of different things. This could be referring to how people access your workspace, be they visitors or users, security for your members and even their belongings. Making sure your digital space is secure as well is just as important, and often these issues go hand in hand. So, let’s discuss a few of them now...

Access control systems give deep insights into who is using your space and how your workspace is used

1. Access Control

How you allow people to access your space is one of the more obvious aspects of your workspace’s physical security, yet that does by no means make it less important. Having good access control measures in place allows you to track and control access to your workspace, ensuring greater security for both you, your staff and your users. 

Nexudus integrates with a wide variety of access control providers, giving you the freedom and flexibility to choose a system that works best for your coworking or flex workspace. Deciding which access control provider woks best for yu depends on a number of factors including; your budget, how you want users to be able to unlock doors, and your space’s geographical location. For a more comprehensive description of each supported access control provider, take a look at the various features of the various providers.

This year we also integrated with unifi.id, an automated movement intelligence system. Their RFID Smart Cards can be seamlessly detached at long distances, removing the need for users to fumble around for key cards or their phones. Instead, the Smart Card will give real-time access to any door which users are provisioned to use. Another benefit for workspace operators is that it means users are always checked in and out of your space, giving you a much deeper and more accurate insight into who is using your coworking or flex workspace, and how they are using it as well. 

2. Mail and Deliveries

Ensuring the mail that is sent to your users is only collected by the right people is another factor of your physical security you need to consider. There are lots of different providers out there that offer a digital solution to mailroom management. Some of the more popular solutions include; Envoy, SwipedOn, PackageX Mailroom, and many more. 

Alternatively, did you know that Nexudus has its own solution - the NexDelivery App? NexDelivery not only streamlines the process behind alerting members of new deliveries for them but can also help you to ensure that mail and packages are always picked up by the correct person. Discover more about NexDelivery and how it could help secure and streamline your processes. 

3. Users’ Belongings

Does your coworking or flex space have a space for your users to store their belongings? If people use your space as their sole location for working, they might not want to lug their possessions back and forth every day, so providing a place for them to store their belonging securely could be a significant quality of life improvement. 

Being able to do that can be tricky, as storing valuable items such as laptops can be a risky business. There are some fantastic solutions you can employ, though, that will give both you and your users the peace of mind that their belongings will be secure. 

Nexudus did recently add a new integration with SmartaLock, that enables your customers to book and unlock lockers using the Members’ Portal or Nexudus Automation Tiles. This easy to set up and use system is the perfect solution that will allow anyone working in your space to store their personal belongings safely and securely. 

4. Visitor management

Visitor management is another key aspect of your workspace’s physical security that needs to be controlled. No workspace operator wants unregistered visitors wandering around their workspace freely, as it poses any number of risks, so having a visitor management system that you can trust is very important. 

While Nexudus is integrated with visitor management control systems such as Envoy, you also have the option to use Nexudus’ built-in solution at no extra cost to your subscription - why not let your workspace management software do the work for you?

Visitors will be asked to sign in using a tablet running NexIO

Registered visitors will be sent a unique code which they can use to sign in when they arrive at your space, and an alert will be sent to the person they have been registered by, notifying them of where their visitor checked in as well. This not only helps to secure your workspace but automating this process will free up your staff to focus on other areas of the business. 

5. Single sign-on (SSO)

Single sign-on (SSO) is a great way to make it easier for members of your coworking or flex workspaces to log into the members portal, as it reduces the need for them to remember multiple credentials. At the same time, it can also help in your space’s digital security. While we are all meant to have separate log-in credentials for each app or service we use, the reality is that most people don’t. Employing an SSO service will therefore reduce the vulnerability since it reduces the need for multiple credentials being used. 

Making use of SSO helps boost your cyber security and make life easier for your users

We were excited to recently add Azure Active Directory to our list of integrations, meaning organisations already using this popular SSO solution will be able to use these same credentials to log into your coworking or flex workspace’s Members’ Portal. We are also integrated with Okta, one of the worlds largest SSO solutions, again giving you the option and flexibility to choose the solution which works best for you.

Both these providers also give you the option to enable multi-factor authentication, which will add an extra layer of security. When logging in, users will be asked to verify this login attempt on a separate device, which can drastically reduce the risk of hacking or unauthorised access attempts. 

As you can see, there are many ways you can leverage technology, and more specifically, your flex workspace software, to strengthen both your physical and digital security. Nexudus is designed to have the flexibility to be able to adapt to the protocols you already have in place and we regularly add new features and integrations to make this flexibility even greater.

If there is a feature you would like to see added to the Nexudus Platform, please get in touch with us. So many of your suggestions eventually make it onto the Platform, and we can’t wait to hear all your fantastic ideas. Email us at: support@nexudus.com