As businesses continue to evolve, there is an increasing need for efficient and secure methods of employee identification and access control.
The Covid19 Pandemic has also got businesses and business leaders brain-storming for new ways to felicitate a more safe and secure work environment and enhance customer experience as well. The need of automation is quite visible now more than ever.
There are quite a few solutions in this regard but what we're going to talk here is about RFID based smart cards.
RFID based smart cards offer a range of benefits, including increased security, faster and more convenient access, and improved employee management.
Let's see how RFID based smart cards work and how employers and employees can benefit from this.
What are RFID based smart cards?
Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) based smart cards are small, portable devices that contain an embedded RFID tag. The RFID tag, embedded inside the card communicates with a reader through radio wave signals, which allows for fast and easy identification and easy access control.
These cards can be programmed with specific access permissions and personal information, making them a versatile tool for workplace security and management.
The technicality of it all:
RFID smart cards operate at different frequency ranges, typically either high frequency (HF) or ultra-high frequency (UHF).
This use of specific frequency RFID tag can impact some factors such as read range and the ability to penetrate materials like metal or water meaning HF RFID smart cards operate at a frequency of 13.56 MHz and typically have a read range of up to severalcentimetersbut UHF RFID smart cards operate at frequencies between 860 MHz and 960 MHz and have a much longer read range, often up to 15 meters.
Based in this operating frequency, former (HF) one is used for access control applications, such as employee badges for building entry and the later one (UHF) is used for asset tracking applications.
There are several other factors that can impact the read range of an RFID smart card, such as the strength of the RFID reader's antenna, the orientation of the card in relation to the reader, and the presence of other electronic devices or materials that can interfere with the radio frequency signal.
Advantages of RFID based smart cards:
Increased security
RFID based smart cards are a more secure alternative to traditional identification methods such as passwords or PIN codes. These offer an added layer of security by providing access control and identification features.
The smart cards are more difficult to duplicate or forge, reducing the risk of unauthorized access.
In addition to that, RFID technology allows for real-time monitoring and control of employee access, allowing for quick detection of any unauthorized attempts which helps ensure that only authorized personnel have access to sensitive areas of the workplace.
Contactless
We all understand how valuable this feature is in reducing the spread of germs and improving the overall workplace hygiene. Employees can easily scan their cards without having to physically touch a scanner or reader. How good is that!
Faster and more convenient access
RFID based smart cards offer faster and more convenient access to restricted areas of the workplace. With just a quick swipe or tap of the card, employees can gain entry to secure areas without the need for physical keys or codes.
Improved employee management
These cards can also be programmed with employee-specific information, such as department, job title, and access permissions which allows for easier employee management, such as restricting access to certain areas based on job function or department of an employee. It can also be used for attendance tracking and time management, simplifying payroll and scheduling processes at a business place.
Cost-effective
For workplace access control and as a security feature these RFID based smart cards are surely a cost-effective solution. They eliminate the need for physical keys, reducing the risk of lost or stolen keys and the associated costs of rekeying locks. These cards can also be easily re-encoded as per need, reducing the need for costly replacements.
Improved Accountability
These RFID smart cards can also help improve accountability in the workplace by tracking employee movements and activities which ensure that employees are adhering to workplace policies and procedures.
At a workplace , it's also important to emphasize that RFID based smart cards must be used for access control and identification purposesonly, and the information stored on the card is limited to employee-specific data such as job title and access permissions and nothing else, in order to elevate the privacy concerns of employees.
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