Solving distributed office problems What is the right entry and exit management system for the telework era?

As people's work styles change dramatically due to the spread of the new coronavirus (COVID-19) infection, there is a movement to rethink the way the office should be. Due to the penetration of work styles that are not tied to places, such as telework, many companies are closing offices, which had been a huge cost until then.

However, there are situations where face-to-face communication is important, and at present, it is difficult to move to a full telework environment. Satellite (distributed) offices are attracting attention there.

If employees have an environment where they can come to the nearest office, they will be free from the stress of long commutes. While responding to the flexible work style of the after-corona era, it is also an option for people who find it difficult to work from home. New ways of working in pursuit of productivity and efficiency should become established as "new normals" even after movement restrictions have been relaxed and corona disasters have converged.

However, there are security concerns such as lock management when preparing small offices scattered around the Tokyo metropolitan area rather than large buildings specialized in business use. There may also be labor-management problems such as "it's hard to see who is working, when, and where."

One of the services that solve the problems associated with satellite offices is the cloud-based Akerun entry and exit management system, which has been deployed in more than 4000 companies in total. We spoke to Photosynth Co., Ltd. (hereinafter, Photosins) that provides this service.

Cloud-based entry and exit management system attracting attention in satellite offices
"We investigated trends in Akerun's user companies to see how the number of office arrivals and exits changed due to the influence of the new corona. As a result, the number of people entering and leaving the room decreased to 30%, and it was found that about 70% worked outside the office."

That's what Daiki Itakura, general manager of Photosins' Sales and Marketing Department, says. According to the survey, as of June 1, when the state of emergency was declared, the number of people entering or leaving the room had returned to only about 50%. There is no doubt that the way offices should be in Aftercolona will change significantly, based on the forecast that "more companies are expected to reduce and relocate their offices in September and October." In response to such a trend of the world, it is said that the number of inquiries to Photosins has increased.

In particular, since the declaration of emergency, inquiries associated with the establishment of satellite offices have increased for the first reason. However, there are some issues that management and general affairs and human resources departments should consider when considering satellite offices.

First of all, it is a security side. In addition to the need for lock management for each office, the fewer employees in the office, such as telecommuting, require a higher level of security. Of course, the more bases you have, the more expensive it will be to manage locks, so cost balance is also important.

The other is labor management. If the location spans more than one location, it is necessary to manage entry and exit in one database. The more bases there are, the more difficult it will be to visualize attendance and attendance.

In addition, work styles are changing at an accelerated pace due to the development of technology, so we would like to consider whether we can cope with the sudden opening and closing of offices. If there is a revision of the labor-related law like work style reform, the operation of the person in charge of the facility will change accordingly. There is no significant cost to the management system each time. In response to these challenges, the Akerun entry and exit management system provides a variety of functions.

Lock management and flexible authorization in the cloud
In addition to the general office, the Akerun entry and exit management system is used in a wide range of industries, including call centers, outsourcing businesses such as payroll agency, SaaS vendors, and fitness gyms. Among them, there are many inquiries from industries dealing with personal information such as P-mark (privacy mark) and ISMS certification, such as system development companies, professionals such as tax accountants and accountants.

In 2019, labor-related laws were revised as a "workstyle reform," requiring the understanding of working hours in an objective manner, such as labor management systems and entry and exit management systems. As a result, the Akerun entry and exit management system has come to be used as a stamping machine in the manufacturing industry.

One of the reasons for its support from many industries is that it can be used to manage entry and exit and lock and unlock keys with a single service.