The role of identity and access management (IAM) in successful enterprise security has increased exponentially in recent years. Brought even further into the spotlight in the wake of the pandemic-induced rise in remote-working trends, smart IAM is now a vital component for efficiently and effectively managing company securities.
In addition, the increasing trends towards bringing your own devices (BYOD), hybrid software, and multiple cloud-based applications means that employees are now simultaneously accessing more systems than ever before. In many instances, they also no longer need to physically be in the office to do so.
General compliance parameters have also become far more stringent, making managing such complex environments an even greater task. Increased focus on risk management also means that enterprises must work smarter than ever in carefully controlling access permissions.
Setting up access control
Keyless door entry systems can become a vital component to optimal HR integrations. These types of access control systems provide enhanced security, while supporting simplified HR functions, such as streamlining access for employees and visitors.
In addition, access control via mobile credentials allows for new employee onboarding without the need to create physical key cards. These systems are not only convenient and provide heightened security, but they allow for key integrations to take security management to the next level.
IAM responsibilities in large enterprise business
Identity and access management (IAM) is a framework that enables a business’s IT team to control user access to the organization’s critical information. It allows system administrators to regulate access permissions to the business’s networks or systems based on the specific roles of each user.
The answer is not always clear when it comes to who is ultimately responsible for IAM in larger business enterprises. Typically, the responsibility is shared amongst managers, IT, and HR personnel. Still, it is helpful to further clarify to what extent each is responsible and what roles each group should undertake.
Ideally, IAM must be managed in such a way that the control of access permissions allows for optimal balance when it comes to compliance and security, without compromising employee productivity.
Management, IT, and HR personnel all share a responsibility to find and maintain this workable balance, and the relevant tasks should be appropriately shared amongst the teams. Ensuring this is done effectively is where the benefits of integrating your access control system with your HR tools comes in.
Heightened decision-making efficiency
Via integrated systems, access to key metric insights will be available in real time, and often from any location or connected device, too. This allows an organization to identify and resolve any issues as they arise, as well as make decisions that can optimize progress with a much faster turnaround.
Streamlining a range of HR processes
Integrating access control with HR tools enables a business to streamline a range of common HR processes, such as:
Smart desk management
With hybrid working models becoming more and more common as a result of enduring pandemic trends, there is a high need for enabling staff to secure an office desk by their own schedule.
By integrating access control with a smart desk management system, a business can stay ahead of all individual bookings and align each with the relevant access permissions.
Visitor management
Visitor management systems enable visitors to digitally register their information. Since the pandemic, it has become more important than ever to track commercial premise attendance to allow for contact tracing.
Integrated visitor management systems can send notifications to relevant staff to alert them that their guest has arrived, allowing them to promptly greet them. These systems also support HR teams in accurately keeping a real-time log of visitors.
Wellness verification
Wellness verification software has become an increasingly popular tool in business practices, and even more so as a result of the pandemic. Not only do they allow for easy screening of Covid symptoms, but they also enable HR teams to connect with employees regarding their mental health and wellbeing. The software provides digital forms for staff to complete when they arrive to work.
Integrating access control and HR for increased productivity
The importance of optimally managing identity and access control goes far beyond creating and securing authorized access permissions. Ensuring that its employees can easily access an enterprise’s applications and systems makes for optimal productivity conditions – avoiding any unnecessary time lost due to a breakdown in IAM processes ultimately affects productivity and, therefore, the business’s bottom line.
This is why integrating access control with HR is so advantageous; when managing identity and access control falls solely on the IT department, it’s easy for wires to become crossed regarding who should have what permissions within the organization.
So, with a better understanding of HR’s key role in IAM, how can businesses best integrate the processes to efficiently spread security responsibility across all relevant teams?
Assess your HR department’s current role
Human Resources (HR) is the central hub for employee data management and therefore plays an integral part in IAM. Alongside organization managers, HR should keep IT teams up-to-date regarding each employee’s job definition, responsibilities, and authorized permissions.
HR should be the go-to source for job definitions with up-to-the-minute accuracy, while business management implements a standard system regarding access requirements for each job definition and individual employee.
Sometimes, however, HR departments take on too much or too little responsibility regarding IAM, allowing for data information breakdown throughout the organization. Therefore, assessing an HR department’s current role in IAM is the first step towards successful integration.
Clearly define your IAM process
With so many changes happening in IAM processes, it’s no wonder that many enterprises are struggling with some disorganized IAM.
It is critical to the successful management of security that all parties within an organization clearly understand the end-to-end IAM processes. There should be clearly defined parameters regarding where specific responsibilities begin and end within each department.
In addition, whenever an HR department changes the fundamental structure of an organization and job descriptions are revised, a change in system access requirements could be necessary; this is another example of the need for ongoing integration between IAM and security access control.
Incorporating automation
While assessing the current performance and future needs of HR and IAM integration, the perfect opportunity arises to evaluate the viability of introducing automation (such as an investment in an Applicant Tracking System and a Recruitment CRM) into the process.
It can be highly cost-effective to automate some of the manual processes involved in enterprise management. In many cases, it can significantly reduce the level of risk associated with human error. Regarding IAM, manual-heavy processing can result in greater risks of fraud, delays in required access permissions, compliance issues, and more.
Therefore, it is wise to carefully assess where automation solutions could be implemented as you evaluate your IAM and HR integration.
Final thoughts
The benefits of integrating an access control system with the organization’s human resources department are substantial.
When HR teams are able to provide real-time information to an organization’s security team, the management of access securities is significantly improved in its efficiency and protection.
When you consider that some enterprises may have many thousands of staff and access permissions to manage, you can see how vital it is for HR to be integrated with security platforms for real-time data sharing.
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