In 2022, we predicted that organizations would adapt to meet the challenges posed by the pandemic. This included shifting to hybrid work, restructuring their supply chains and overcoming human resource issues. As businesses begin to emerge from the initial response phase of the pandemic, we believe that they are focused on recovery and growth. Some of the top physical security trends to watch out for include security system unification, access control modernization, hybrid cloud advancement and cybersecurity.
Labor shortages drive demand for unified security solutions
Labor shortages across industries have been garnering attention for months. The physical security industry isn’t immune to this struggle.
In the recently published
Genetec 2022 State of Physical Security Report, 50 percent of respondents said their physical security team experienced human resource challenges last year. Leaders were facing staff shortages, hiring difficulties and employee morale problems.
Ensuring adequate physical security with fewer staff is a recipe for burnout, which only compounds the problem. Team leaders are re-evaluating their technology stack. They want solutions that help them streamline tasks, automate processes and enhance their team's efficiency.
As leaders seek ways to maximize resources, the demand for unified physical security solutions will keep growing. Unifying video surveillance, access control, automatic license plate recognition, radar and other valuable functions can make an operator's job easier. It also reduces costs and training. Security teams can further streamline operations with built-in analytics or decision support features.
Investing in modern physical security technologies also positions the department culture as a leading edge. This can entice younger, more tech-savvy physical security recruits in a competitive job market.
Modernizing access control will be a top priority
In the IFSEC Global 2022 State of Physical Access Control Report, only 41 percent of respondents believed their current access control system either met or exceeded their requirements. While 40 percent said their top challenge was protecting against cybersecurity threats, another 43 percent want to make access control administration easier.
This year, we’ll see more organizations upgrading their access control systems. Recent research showed that 67 percent of organizations are planning to invest in access control modernization, putting it at the top of the tech investment list.
Modern access control solutions deliver a host of built-in cyber defenses and health monitoring tools. They also offer higher levels of automation to streamline access control tasks. Upgrading will allow organizations to eliminate weak points of legacy systems and better defend against cybersecurity threats. They can also maximize their investment to deliver value beyond the doors.
For example, operators can begin centrally managing the access rights of employees, visitors, and contractors while automating access requests per company policies. This alleviates choke points in manual processes and improves efficiency and compliance company-wide.
Choosing an open access control solution further expands opportunities. From mobile credentials and biometrics to cloud-connected controllers and services, organizations can implement the latest technologies to keep modernizing their deployments over time.
Hybrid-cloud deployments will drive demand for cloud-connected appliances
Hybrid-cloud deployments are gaining traction across the physical security industry. Recent research shows that 66 percent of organizations will move to managing or storing more physical security in the cloud over the next two years.
The reality is that full cloud deployments aren't a good fit for every installation. Some might want to conserve security devices and infrastructure investments that are not cloud-ready. Others may have bandwidth limitations or need to keep some data processing and storage on site.
As businesses rationalize their costs, concerns, and approach to migrating to the cloud, we can expect an increase in demand for ready-to-deploy hybrid-cloud appliances. This infrastructure will support edge-computing workloads and make existing devices cloud-compatible. They'll also help centralize access to systems and data across many sites.
These cloud-connected devices will not only provide more flexibility to meet site-specific requirements. They'll streamline access to the latest innovations.
Implementing better cyber measures and defenses will be a priority
With rising concerns about cybercrime, organizations are looking for new ways to implement and maintain robust cybersecurity strategies. Research by Genetec shows that 36 percent of IT and security professionals want to invest in cybersecurity-related tools in 2023. With 40 percent of efforts focusing on access control alone.
However, buying new tools doesn't mean organizations will have a comprehensive strategy to face new threats. Implementing better security measures and automated cyber defenses will be the priority. So will proactive security architecture planning and procurement. This will include:
- replacing legacy equipment before succumbing to end-point failures to better mitigate risks
- using intelligent maintenance tracking tools and metrics to improve procurement forecasting
- relying on external help to adapt security architecture planning and offset supply chain delays
- standardizing on cybersecurity-minded vendors to enhance resilience across the partner ecosystem
This take-charge cybersecurity mindset will not only help organizations better defend against cyberattacks. It’ll also become an essential factor in preserving business resilience and continuity.
Extracting physical security data will push digital transformation forward
The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated digital transformation (DX) on a global scale. In the PwC Pulse Survey 2022, 60 percent of executives said DX is their most critical growth driver. As these initiatives expand, success relies on aggregating data from various sources and quickly making sense of data to make informed decisions.
In 2023, extracting intelligence from physical security systems will become central to roadmap discussions. According to a Microsoft-Accenture survey, 75 percent of respondents believed DX of physical security will generate a meaningful return on investment (ROI). 80 percent of respondents also agreed that DX delivers non-financial benefits that are worthwhile to the organization, regardless of ROI.
Many organizations already understand that video surveillance, access control and other physical security systems contain a lot of information. However, bringing datasets from disparate systems together makes it possible to discover relationships and make real changes to business operations.
For example, most organizations have installed a video surveillance system, but few use this data to its full potential. By analyzing their data, organizations can create new outputs and/or additional value, which can change business processes.
As digital transformation continues to be a top priority for organizations, we are seeing increased collaboration between the IT and physical security departments. They’re sharing more information and working together to use data to serve broader organizational objectives.
Blended IT and physical security teams will be seen as essential
IT teams help manage network security solutions; however, bridging the divide between physical and IT security is a work in progress according to research by technology analysts like Gartner and IDC.
As the internet of things (IoT) expands and demand for mobility rises, vulnerabilities will increase.
Having siloed risk management strategies no longer makes sense. Many organizations understand that threats can come from anywhere. And communication gaps between physical security and Information Technology (IT) teams expand opportunities for attackers.
This year, more organizations will seek solutions that provide a consolidated view of physical security and cybersecurity. We'll see more collaboration and even fully blended IT and physical security teams. Working together will heighten situational awareness and risk mitigation across the organization.
Increased IT and security collaboration will lead to better ways to secure data, assets and people. It'll also enhance efficiency, streamline global security operations and improve business processes.
Organizations will continue to embrace remote work and space utilization data
In the wake of the pandemic, there’s been a slow uptake in back-to-office work. To remain competitive, many organizations are embracing a hybrid work environment. With that, the office footprint is changing in significant ways.
Today, many are either downsizing or looking for ways to repurpose unused spaces. They also want to support new office demands such as more hotdesking, team collaboration and wellness amenities.
In 2023, we expect to see more organizations using existing video surveillance and access control solutions to gain better insights into their office space utilization.
From people counting trends to live occupancy reports, managers can use metrics to make better decisions. They can track office attendance, manage desks and meeting rooms, and determine how to best optimize office space. This data can inform future lease renewals, occupancy policies, and cost savings across real estate assets.