Has the growth in working from home (WFH) outpaced our ability to keep a home office environment secure? Hybrid working — combining WFH with on-site attendance — grew steadily in the decade up to 2019*.
It is now here to stay: One-quarter of the workforce in Finland, for example, principally worked from home in 2020, according to one study**. However, many repurposed domestic spaces are not equipped with the security or privacy WFH requires.
“In many organisations, the convenience and productivity advantages of home and hybrid working are significant,” says Lars Angelin, Business Development Manager, Aperio & Code Handle at ASSA ABLOY Opening Solutions EMEIA. “WFH will remain — at least for some employees, some of the time. In these cases, the security of the home office needs attention.”
Why lock your home office?
“Home security for hybrid workers does not begin and end at the front door. A domestic workspace requires security of its own. After all, not every houseguest should be reading next quarter’s confidential company data!” adds Angelin.
Privacy is another key concern, whether to make important video calls or have a sensitive conversation. Commercial security is always desirable. In many sensitive industries, it is required by law.
“Cybersecurity is usually down to the employer,” says Angelin. “However, the physical security of documents, data and conversations is the responsibility of those who choose to continue working from home.”
The most elegant, seamless way to put an effective barrier between your residence and a home workstation is with a Code HandleÒ digital door lock.
Simple to fit to almost any interior door
Code Handle is a locking handle with built-in digital PIN keypad suitable for most lock cases and door types. A secure 4- to 6-digit PIN ensures only authorised people enter the home office.
There is no need to use or keep track of a key. At the end of a day, homeworkers don’t even need to remember to lock their office: Code Handle locks itself when the door is closed — and for safety, allows simple, code-free exit from the inside.
Installation is simple: A homeworker can simply swap their existing door handle for a Code Handle. Fitting takes just two screws: It is easy even for non-specialists, and also straightforward for any domestic locksmith. In an ASSA ABLOY competition to find the fastest Code Handle installation, the winning entry took just 26 seconds.
To power the lock’s digital security, standard batteries slot into the handle itself. There is no need for software. Batteries typically last 30,000 lock/unlock cycles.
Code Handle is already trusted at medical surgeries, retail stockrooms, flexible workspaces and almost anywhere else a private door meets a public space. It is perfectly adapted for upgrading a home study, basement, attic or spare room.
“Contemporary and elegant, a Code Handle adds digital PIN security without the hassle of keys or any ugly push-button mechanical device,” says Angelin. “It is the simple, secure, convenient solution for any home office door.”