Visitor management is the comprehensive process of welcoming visitors and employees onto the premises of your business and managing their presence throughout their visit. While visitor sign-in, registration, or check-in is a fundamental aspect, it represents only a small part of the overall visitor management process. This critical aspect of organizational security and efficiency encompasses much more than just the initial sign-in. By implementing a comprehensive visitor management system, businesses can ensure a safe, welcoming, and well-managed environment for all visitors, while also complying with regulatory requirements and enhancing operational effectiveness.

Further Resources:

Blog: What to include in your School Visitor Management Policy

Blog: How to define and implement a great Visitor Policy

Record Keeping

A good place to start is to ask yourself some basic questions: How many visitors are in your building right now? How many were there yesterday? What about on 10th July 2017? If you don't know the answers, it's crucial to understand why this matters. Accurate visitor records are essential for various reasons. For instance, if something was stolen, someone was injured, or a contaminant entered your production process, knowing who was on-site during a specific timeframe is invaluable.

Security

Visitor management is crucial for maintaining security in both schools and businesses. You don't want visitors wandering around your building unsupervised. Even with access control measures like keycards, security can be compromised if someone holds the door open for a stranger. Issuing visitor badges helps identify legitimate visitors and unauthorised personnel. An effective visitor ID badge should include the date, the host's name, and ideally, a photo.

Legal Responsibilities for Visitors

Businesses and schools have a duty of care to all their visitors. This duty is covered by the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (HSWA) and its related regulations, as well as potential claims for compensation under civil law. The HSWA requires employers to ensure, as far as is reasonably practicable, that non-employees are not put at risk during their activities. Visitors should be informed about any hazardous activities, safety rules, and procedures they must follow, and steps to prevent access to dangerous areas.

Emergency Evacuations

In addition to evacuating employees during an emergency, your organisation is responsible for visitor safety and accounting for them at designated muster points. A robust visitor management system provides a real-time evacuation list of all building visitors, enabling accurate headcounts and alerting emergency services if someone is unaccounted for.

Professional Image

A good visitor management system helps create a great first impression and promotes the desired image for your business or school. Research from Princeton University shows that first impressions are formed in about one-tenth of a second. From the moment a customer, parent, job applicant, or partner enters your reception, they are forming a critical first impression. A professional welcome and efficient check-in process significantly contribute to a positive perception.

All schools and many businesses should define and document their visitor management processes in a Visitor Policy. This policy sets ground rules to avoid confusion or inconsistency in receiving visitors. Organisations with sensitive security needs or hazardous equipment, such as schools or food production facilities, must address these issues in their visitor management policy.

Further Resources:

Blog: 5 Best Practice Requirements for School Visitor Management

Blog: What legal duty of care do you owe to a visitor?

Blog: How to run a great fire drill and not forget about visitors

Visitors

Visitors are generally individuals who come to your business or school for short-term purposes such as meetings, tours, or consultations. They typically stay in common areas and have minimal impact on daily operations. Visitor management systems focus on tracking the presence of visitors, ensuring you know who is on-site and when. Identification is also crucial, with visitor badges issued to differentiate visitors from staff. Additionally, visitors are provided with basic safety information, including essential safety protocols and emergency procedures, to ensure their well-being while on the premises.

Contractors

Contractors, on the other hand, differ significantly from regular visitors. They often need access to restricted areas, may perform potentially hazardous tasks, and their presence can significantly impact operations. Contractors introduce more risk and thus require more stringent management processes. A good contractor management booking system should monitor which contractors are on-site and provide insight into how their work affects other operations. Conducting background checks is essential to maintain records of contractor credibility and compliance. Ensuring PPE compliance is another critical aspect, involving checks and documentation that contractors are using the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE). Communicating safety information is vital, as contractors must be informed of any site-specific hazards, safety rules, and emergency procedures.

Why a Distinct Approach is Necessary

Understanding the distinct needs of visitors and contractors is crucial for effective management. Visitors are typically restricted to common areas with minimal risk, whereas contractors often need access to off-limits areas to perform their work, which can involve higher risk activities. Visitors generally have a limited and usually non-intrusive impact on daily operations, whereas contractors’ work can directly affect ongoing operations and safety protocols, necessitating more detailed oversight. While visitors pose lower risk, requiring basic safety and security measures, contractors pose higher risks due to the nature of their work, requiring thorough risk assessments and detailed safety management. Visitors need to be informed of basic safety and emergency procedures, while contractors must be made aware of specific hazards, comply with detailed safety rules, and follow stringent emergency procedures.

Further Resources:

Blog: Managing Different Visitor Types

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), introduced in 2018, has significantly impacted personal data storage, handling, and destruction. However, it is estimated that over 52% of companies and schools will still not be fully compliant by the end of this year.

In the rush to ensure workplace databases and IT infrastructure comply with GDPR, visitor booking-in systems are often overlooked. Contrary to popular belief, a paper-based visitor sign-in book can be GDPR compliant. While a basic visitor book may not secure data adequately, GDPR-compliant visitor books are available. These books are designed to keep visitor information hidden from general display, ensuring data privacy and security.

Organisations can choose either GDPR-compliant paper books or software-based systems to safeguard personal data and comply with GDPR, protecting against data breaches and legal penalties.

Blog: GDPR Guidelines on Retaining & Disposing School Visitor Records

Schools and businesses have the option to manage visitors using either a visitor book or visitor check-in software, typically implemented with a touchscreen interface. Both systems are valid methods for booking in visitors, and the choice depends on what best suits the organisation's needs and budget.

A basic A4 sign-in sheet is unlikely to meet your responsibilities for visitor safety and GDPR compliance. However, a good visitor book can capture all required information, comply with GDPR, and maintain a professional appearance. These books can even incorporate your own logo and branding for a customised touch.

On the other hand, a software-based visitor system offers a digital solution that stores all information in a central database, making it easy to access and update. This system can streamline the check-in process, enhance data security, and provide a more modern and efficient visitor experience.

Ultimately, both systems can effectively manage visitors, but the best choice depends on the specific needs and resources of your business or school.

Further Resources:

Blog: Cloud-based Visitor Management System – a lot of silver lining!

Blog: Visitor Management Software – more bangs for your buck

SG World's contactless visitor sign-in system revolutionizes the visitor experience by leveraging QR codes to eliminate the need for physical contact with shared devices or surfaces. This innovative solution ensures both efficiency and security while complying with data protection regulations.

Visitors receive a unique QR code via email or SMS before their visit. Upon arrival, they simply scan the QR code using their smartphone camera. This action directs them to a secure web page where they can enter their details such as name, contact information, and purpose of visit. Once the check-in process is complete, visitors can print their own digital badge containing all necessary information, including their name, date of visit, and host details.

All visitor data is captured and stored in a central database, facilitating accurate record-keeping and compliance. The system also notifies hosts in real-time via email or SMS when their visitor arrives, ensuring prompt reception and a smooth visitor experience. This enhances security by accurately tracking who is on-site at any given time and ensures only authorized visitors gain access to restricted areas.

Moreover, the contactless visitor sign-in system can be customized to incorporate the organization’s branding and messaging, providing a professional and cohesive visitor experience. This solution not only speeds up the check-in process, reducing wait times, but also presents a modern and secure image to visitors and stakeholders.

SG World’s contactless visitor sign-in system represents a significant advancement in visitor management technology, providing businesses and schools with a secure, efficient, and user-friendly solution to manage their visitor flow.

Further Resources:

Blog: Cloud-based Visitor Management System – a lot of silver lining!

Blog: Visitor Management Software – more bangs for your buck