Coworking spaces are in higher demand than ever before. Just as the workforce readied itself to Return to Office (RTO), the rising petrol price has made daily trips to head office infeasible. Employers and employees have settled on a new, hybrid RTO model that uses shared office space.
While many companies illustrated that Work from Home (WFH) does indeed work, there are valuable elements of being in the office environment that can’t be simulated. Boardroom brainstorms and candid chats in the office reportedly lead to greater innovation and problem-solving. Other reports claim that office days improve accessibility to management—one of the most significant drawbacks of WFH.
A fair compromise has been found in coworking spaces, which enable the best of worlds. Employees go into “the office”, closer to home, two or three days per week, where they can hold meetings, engage with fellow workers, and save on fuel.
Flexible, shared, and coworking offices have taken off with great success, but because occupational churn is high, front-desk can be a difficult—if not dreadful—place to manage.
Digital reception solves front-desk headaches with visitor management and access control. Onboarding and offboarding of occupiers (preferred over tenants) is entirely electronic. Even photographs are loaded onto the system beforehand allowing access control by facial recognition from their first day. Occupiers then self-manage guests by sending a WhatsApp pin or QR code invitation. Attendees, in turn, sign in electronically, and a notification is sent on their arrival.
We launched At Reception, a digital solution for front-desk security protocol, in 2018. Our head of sales, Ariel Flax, says that although there is marked uptake of the product in recent years, digital reception has always been “well-received”.
“People prefer dealing with tech. It is a strange phenomenon, but place a tablet at the reception desk allowing for self-service sign-in, and people gravitate towards it,” says Flax. He continues, “As needs and technology has evolved, the product has grown with it.”
Flax says that digital onboarding and self-service are two main reasons digital reception is in high demand at coworking space offices. Other reasons include:
· Creating a professional, digital-first impression for the environment and occupiers.
· Keeping an electronic record of all visitors that is securely stored.
· Touchless guest registration.
· Facial recognition access control.
· Covid pre-screening.
· Flexibility with working hours as the digital reception is always available.
· Cost-saving for operations with lean staffing.
· Integration with security, surveillance, and reporting.
“Front desk has traditionally been a frantic place in serviced offices and coworking spaces, but technology alleviates the burden of knowing who is working where and on what days,” says Flax.
For all Access Control related information, contact ATG Digital by calling 010 500 8611, Whatsapp 072 055 1187, email sales@atthegate.biz or go to www.atgdigital.biz
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