How can we ensure physical security in the hybrid workplace?

Mark Brookes, Global Product Manager, Gunnebo Safe Storage highlights why physical security cannot be overlooked when looking to safeguard assets, information and personnel.

As the hybrid workplace becomes the new norm, businesses must adapt security strategies to protect physical and digital assets, with a focus on flexibility and contextual awareness.

While the focus has often been on cybersecurity, physical security cannot be forgotten when it comes to ensuring safety and security.

The hybrid workplace model – which combines remote work with traditional in-office work – is growing in popularity and is arguably here to stay.

This approach offers benefits, including increased employee satisfaction, reduced overhead costs and improved productivity.

Whilst organisations across the globe establish what tools, tech and policies are needed to ensure remote and in-office teams can work together seamlessly, it also introduces security challenges.

Achieving physical security

Physical security is the protection of people, property and physical assets from actions and events that could cause damage or loss. In the context of the hybrid workplace, physical security involves safeguarding office spaces, protecting sensitive information and ensuring that remote work environments are secure.

Effective physical security measures help prevent unauthorised access, theft, vandalism and other threats that can compromise the integrity of a business.

Businesses must implement several key components to understand where risks come from and manage them according to requirements.

Access control systems are essential for regulating who can enter specific areas.

This includes the use of keycards, biometrics and smart locks. In a hybrid workplace, access must be flexible enough to accommodate schedules and locations of employees.

Site security

Surveillance systems provide continuous oversight of office premises.

These help deter criminal activities and allow for real time monitoring and recording of events.

Integrating surveillance with access can enhance security by providing visual verification of events. Managing visitors and contractors becomes vital, especially for fire safety.

Gone are the days of simple access needs; businesses must face up to a complex schedule that demands adaptable solutions. In a hybrid workplace, simple questions can become difficult to answer.

Implementing a sophisticated visitor management system that tracks and monitors visitors can prevent unauthorised access and ensure that visitors are accounted for.

Environmental controls such as fire alarms and climate control systems protect physical assets from environmental threats.

Storage security solutions

In a hybrid working model and the increase in hotdesking instead of permanent desk spaces, the need for secure storage solutions such as safe deposit boxes and lockers has become more pronounced.

When going to lunch or attending internal seminars, most employees leave laptops and valuables on their desks or in unsecured rooms.

This highlights the vulnerability and potential risks associated with the absence of adequate secure storage solutions in the workplace.

When team members are not in the office simultaneously, it becomes challenging to hand over documents and other items physically.

Quieter office buildings may also increase the risk of misdemeanours, even with access controls in place.

The need to empower employees with efficient yet secure access to the tools they need to work, includes safes, vaults and secure storage cabinets.

Each can be used to protect valuable items, documents and data.

The nature of this work model introduces challenges for maintaining the integrity and confidentiality of sensitive information.

Laptops, tablets and smartphones, essential tools for remote work, must be protected not only from cyber-threats but from physical theft and damage.

This is especially true when the use of personal devices for work purposes can expose businesses to security risks.

When employees move between locations, the chances of leaving devices in vulnerable spots rises. To mitigate this risk, businesses must invest in robust solutions.

High quality safes and storage cabinets provide a secure unit for devices when not in use.

Employees should be encouraged to store equipment in these units, especially overnight or during periods of inactivity.

There is also a need to protect data and documentation from fire in specialist fire-resistant storage solutions.

Combined security solutions

It’s vital to educate employees about best practices for securing devices.

This goes right back to basics to include locks as part of a security solution for offices, not only for doors, but also to safes and cabinets.

This includes keeping laptops out of sight when not in use, using cable locks to anchor devices to desks or other immovable objects and ensuring that they are never left in vehicles unattended.

Providing portable, lockable storage boxes or bags designed for secure transport can enhance the safety of devices during commutes.

With employees working on different schedules, it is challenging to maintain consistent security measures. Offices may be left unattended, increasing the risk of unauthorised access.

Employees working remotely may not have the same level of security as they do in the office. Ensuring that devices are secure and that sensitive information is protected is essential.

Physical security also extends to the protection of data. This includes securing physical copies of documents and ensuring that storage devices are protected.

Risk assessments

To enable a holistic infrastructure, the advice is to conduct a regular security audit to identify vulnerabilities and ensure that measures are effective.

Audits should include assessments of office environments and remote workspaces.

Training and raising awareness can also reduce risks – regular sessions and updates on protocols are essential. By applying data collated from risk assessments, you can be smarter about how physical security is being used.

Safe storage

Gunnebo Safe Storage is collaborating with customers to comprehend the evolving working environment and implement security measures to store assets safely.

We believe that security is a team sport and that when we all share what we’re learning, we can all make the world a safer place.

On a practical level, we work with clients to understand the challenges posed by a flexible work model.

This includes supporting risk assessments and providing tailored storage solutions, from mechanical systems to centrally managed operations that can integrate into existing frameworks.

By addressing the need for secure storage of personal belongings, company assets and documents, Gunnebo Safe Storage ensures that hybrid workplaces remain safe, efficient and productive.

In today’s global working landscape, no two hybrid workplaces are the same, whether that’s a home office, a shared, open-plan office or a more traditional space in an industrial park.

What we do know is that security will need to embrace every potential working situation, from physical security in co-working spaces to educating employees on digital security when working in public places.