Contrary to a common misconception, issuing identification (ID) cards to employees is not solely for large companies or law enforcement agencies anymore. The truth is that all types of businesses, regardless of industry and size, need ID cards as they are one of the most practical identification tools in the workplace. After all, modern ID badges are no longer mere cardboard printouts containing basic employee information and placed inside sturdy plastic holders.
Today, most companies issue ID cards or admission wristbands with sophisticated features, such as barcodes, magnetic stripes, and holographic overlays, not to mention personalized lanyards bearing the company name, for easy identification and better security.Perhaps you are a business owner who is still debating whether to issue employee ID cards. If so, read on. This article will enumerate several reasons why your company should start using IDs. We also included a section on how you can encourage your staff to welcome this identification system should you decide to adopt it later.
4 Reasons Why You Should Use Employee ID Cards
Wearing employee identity cards within the work premises is mandatory in many organizations, especially those with hundreds of employees. However, if you think that using ID cards only benefits established and large firms, you are mistaken because they are a must-have in any business for numerous reasons. Here are a few of them:
Improves Security
Perhaps the foremost reason you should consider using employee ID cards is to beef up workplace security. When you mandate your staff to wear their IDs, your security team can readily identify company personnel and prevent outsiders from entering the office without your permission. Wouldn’t your staff feel safer and more secure knowing that unauthorized personnel can’t just barge in on their work areas without proper clearance? Moreover, having ID cards can also deter workplace theft since those with malicious intentions will probably have second thoughts if they know there’s a system in place to trace and identify them at any given time.
Facilitates Attendance Monitoring
Using ID cards to clock in and out of the office can also facilitate better and more accurate recording of employee attendance. Instead of filling out time cards, your staff can simply swipe their IDs to leave an electronic log of their arrival and departure times. With this system in place, your human resource team can save time and energy as there is no need to monitor employee attendance manually. You can also ask for an attendance report whenever you want, and the system can readily generate the information for you—perfect for identifying and rewarding employees with perfect attendance.
Builds a Positive Company Image
Wearing professional-looking ID cards can also help your company look credible and professional, especially when interacting with customers. It will also put your clients at ease since they can read the name of the employee handling their transactions. It is worth stressing that the quality of the company identification cards matters tremendously. If you want your employees to feel confident by wearing their badges and to impress your customers, make sure to engage the services of a reputable ID card and lanyard supplier.
Boosts Employee Morale
Much like wearing a company uniform, having an ID card can make your employees feel that they are truly part of the organization—that they are part of the team. As such, they will most likely feel connected and more willing to work together. It is also a way to help employees in large firms learn and remember the names of their colleagues and build harmonious working relationships, especially if they are newly hired or they just transferred from another department.
3 Tips to Encourage Your Employees to Wear Their ID Badges
Even if you are convinced of the value of using employee ID cards, it does not mean that every one of your employees will immediately warm up to the idea of wearing an ID to work. If you encounter a slight resistance when you introduce this identification system, here are ways to get everyone on board.
- Explain the Significance of ID cards. Before you mandate the wearing of employee ID cards, call a meeting to explain to everyone concerned your reasons for adopting this system. Discuss its benefits through concrete examples, and make sure to stress how wearing an ID can be advantageous for your staff—not just the company.
- Make the ID look appealing. If you want your employees to wear their IDs, invest in high-quality cards with an aesthetically-pleasing design. Aside from getting a reputable ID supplier, perhaps you can hire a professional photographer to take their ID photos. That way, they will look great in the pictures and feel confident wearing their ID badges.
- Use the ID badges to recognize employee contributions. More than using employee IDs as attendance or time cards, you can also attach a significant meaning to these badges to make your employees feel proud wearing them. For instance, Amazon uses the colors of staff IDs to show career milestones. New hires will receive ID badges with blue edges and then trade them for yellow ones after five years, red ones after ten years, and so on.
Employee identification cards are not mere accessories or simply a part of the office dress code but a valuable business tool that serves multiple purposes, from improving security to building a professional company image. That said, why don’t you start issuing professionally-made ID cards with sophisticated features today? Perhaps this identification system can improve your business in ways you never expected.
