It’s been more than two years since our hospitals began fighting COVID, but businesses are still adapting to the ‘new normal.’
Many Maryland businesses have found a friend with technology as they reopen their doors. Aspects of their business that weren’t as important before are now vital, and the technology in use has undergone a significant overhaul.
Let’s take a closer look at what types of technology systems are proving helpful to businesses across the state as we settle into the new normal.
The Power of a Complete System
One of the biggest things businesses have discovered is the importance of integration between their different systems. Many companies had one system working their doors while another managed their visitor logs. When COVID-19 shifted how access needed to work, the separation of these systems created unnecessary delays and a need for excess training to be functional.
Now, many businesses are using complete access control systems that allow them to manage a variety of technology under one extensive control system. Access control technology makes managing business easier, despite constantly changing regulations.
Building managers can incorporate various measures under one umbrella while still providing subdivisions and different management teams to separate aspects when necessary.
In the wake of the pandemic, businesses have looked for access control systems that use and include the following technologies:
- Advanced security cameras with temperature measurements
- Touchless access systems
- Automatic disinfection systems
- Occupancy sensors for building areas
- Remote management capabilities
- HVAC and energy management systems
- Mobile crowd control
Leveraging all of these technologies at one time was initially very overwhelming for Maryland businesses that were not employing any of these techniques before the pandemic. However, they’ve quickly been adapted as vital and necessary both for scaling the business and protecting our communities.
Managing Who Comes and Goes
Another big focus for many businesses has been managing who is present in offices, shops, and other spaces at any given time. Due to space occupancy limits and parameters being set to encourage social distancing, technology to manage building access has become more critical than ever.
Expanding with Touchless and Keyless Access
Among trending security technologies, keyless and touchless access systems have been among the most popular. Businesses have implemented technology that works with building security to allow secure access to buildings without touching to reduce the spread of germs and simplify necessary cleaning procedures.
In addition to touchless access being great for preventing the spread of illness, many businesses have found that the additional efficiency and functionality are well worth the upgrade cost.
Visitor Management
Businesses in Maryland are still growing, expanding, and thriving despite the economic hardships of the last few years. That means that they are also getting visitors!
Whether an office is open to visitors or a firm has a private appointment list, managing who is coming and going that isn’t an employee is also important during this time. Visitor management, however, can get complicated without some type of visitor management software. Thankfully, most access control systems have an easy way to integrate this management into overall building security.
Wellness Verification
Automated wellness verification has also become very popular with businesses. Health is a big deal these days, and we’re seeing a significant shift in how wellness is prioritized across society.
Some businesses have found benefits in sending out daily or weekly wellness surveys to their employees to manage and regulate a safe environment for their workers. There are many different ways that technology can be incorporated into this process, depending on the needs and desires of your business.
Flexible working spaces are the way of the future, and we’re going to keep seeing an increase in the need for maintaining high-quality hybrid spaces. Without the right software to manage desk space, meeting rooms, parking spots, and more, employees will suffer at the hands of bad business management.
That’s why so many businesses have seen huge benefits in workspace management software, which enables better management of flex spaces without losing control of these spaces.
Move Forward with Integrated Systems
There’s no doubt that we’re going to see more and more Maryland businesses moving forward with integrated systems:
- They’re easier to manage at home, on-site, or wherever!
- They can be maintained from an overall perspective for better problem identification and resolution.
- They can scale with businesses as they grow, divide, or flex between employee numbers as the pandemic ends.