An Employee ID badge is essentially a method of identification for a company’s personnel. An ID badge has other functions as well however. Let’s take a closer look.
Why Issue Employee Badges?
Security:
Having control of who is allowed in your facility is important (employees, visitors, contractors, etc), as well as protecting your employees and creating a safe working environment.
Access:
Provided to persons who have authorization to enter a building or specific areas of a company while at the same time restricting access to unauthorized people, discouraging theft, and preventing visitors from getting lost. Granting access to employees encourages mindful use of particular areas in a building, keeps business segments separate, reduces unwanted disruptions from people unfamiliar with the building, and manages workplace populations. It also eliminates the use and need for a key by the use of barcodes, magnetic stripes, or smart chips.
Branding:
Company logo and contact info and even mission statement can be printed on the card to give your company a more professional, businesslike, appearance.
Now that we have established the purpose of an Employee badge, let’s take a look at the physical characteristics and features.
First of all what is a card made of ? PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride) Is the most common material used for ID cards, it is known for its strength and durability and low cost. Other options are: ABS, PET (G), Composite (Pvc/Pet), and Teslin.
Secondly, what features do you require on the card? Company logo, contact info, employee name and photo are obvious choices but there are other options to consider: employee signature, fingerprint, expiry date, and title are options to take into consideration.
Security features that can be added to an Id card are: Magnetic stripes, Barcodes, and Smart chips.
The next thing to consider is design. Things like color, name of organization, logo, and any other important information to go on the card must be displayed in a way that highlights your company’s profile. A simple design is preferable for clarity and visibility. Using a suitable font and selecting a light colored background will achieve this.
How Should You Wear Employee Badges?
Another thing to consider in the design of your employee badge is how it will be displayed. The most common options are:
Lanyards:
A great solution for visibility and marketing, custom branding is possible and they are very comfortable.
Badge Reels:
These are good for scanning and swiping situations. The reel keeps the card out of the way but still accessible. Custom solutions for branding are available as well.
Badge Holders:
Holders are perfect for situations that involve protecting the card from outside elements.
Strap Clips:
Clips are the most affordable solution and are non-assuming. A subtle option to the above choices.
The printing of your ID card will need to take into consideration your choice of badge display, (ie: borders around the card, punched holes, etc).
Company ID Badging Solutions from the ISG
The ISG offers the best photo ID card issuance solutions in the industry. From the blank cards to card printers, cameras and software, to readers, ID accessories and much more. We can provide you with everything you need to issue employee badges for one office to national corporate enterprises.
Contact us today to learn more about these and other solutions from your local ISG dealer.
Original article written by Tariq Khan for ID Experts.
