Badges! We NEED some stinking badges!

The time has come for my company to start making employees, temps, contractors, consultants and guests wear identification badges. We are growing by leaps and bounds and want to make sure security is tight. We plan on strictly enforcing this.
Anyone do this in-house with special software/printers/cameras/etc? Let me know what works, and what DOESN'T work for you. I'm also curious as to what other companies do when employees lose or forget their badges on a "consistant" basis. Any and all info is appreciated. Thanks!!!
Cinderella

Comments

  • 16 Comments sorted by Votes Date Added
  • [font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 10-10-02 AT 11:58AM (CST)[/font][p]We have some really antique equipment that actually makes the badge. All the time-clock companies also can provide them. I can tell you that we recently went with a policy of requiring any salaried or hourly employee who loses his/her badge to pay the $10.00 materialS cost for a replacement and won't give out a paycheck without a badge (OR AT LEAST THAT'S THE THREAT). This has magically cut down on lost badges. If the thing won't work we replace it free of charge. Another suggestion for you: When I got here, I noticed that ee SSNs were printed on badges. I stopped that immediately. It was like wearing a sandwich board that flashed in neon, "HEY, STEAL MY IDENTITY".
  • Ah yes, SSN's would be a bad idea! x:D We are looking to make the badges in-house by purchasing software and the printer plus other supplies. There's so many companies out there though it's just mind boggling decided which one to go with.
    Anyone else?
  • Try this company ([url]www.polafix.com[/url]) We've been using them for over 30 years for equipment, service and supplies. One suggestion: it might be a good idea to capture the signature along with the picture. Good luck.

  • ADP (the company that processes our payroll) also does our badges. We use a digital camera and take pictures of employees and email it to ADP. They put the picture on the ID which also is used to clock in and out on the timeclock. If employees lose their badges, we charge $10.00 replacement cost

    We used to have badges without pictures, but employees wanted their pictures on the badges and also because of the fact that we were getting larger and needed better security, we went the picture route. Now, the employees don't want the pictures on the badges because they don't like the way they look. They either turn them over or put smiley faces or tape over the faces. Anyway, we are going to have to put a policy into effect concerning the proper wearing of badges.

    What do most of you do about names on the badges. Do you only put the first name and the title or do you put first and last name on the badge? Need some suggestions here.

    Thanks!
  • Our badges are laminated, contain photo, last and first name, employee number, signature, company name and logo. The strip on the badge is coded to allow access to either certain areas or all areas. Lots of people, I've learned, flash these badges as ID around town and they are accepted. Be sure to have a surefire plan of immediately killing any badge of a suspended or terminated employee or the badges that are lost. We had to formulate a written policy a few months back about defacing badges. It also included a statement about whoever takes the picture being responsible for no rabbit ears or shades or facial contortions. One side benefit to the system is that in conjunction with our security camera system, we can printout in sequence all the badges that have been used to access certain doors. This recently helped us narrow down a rather large maintenance tools theft on a weekend when only a couple of people used their badge to gain access.
  • One of my co-workers researched software extensively and we ended up going with ID CARDMAKER. Very nice system and we would recommend it. LOTS of capabilities..maybe more than you want.

    We are using first and last name and title. Pictures are there, like them or not. . you can pick the one you like.

    Each employees EOC rating is also on the badge, so when the Hurricane comes they will know who to let back into town.

    We did (after much debate) put an expiration date on the card and some language on the back about it being nontransferable and going to death row if you are caught impersonating a City employee. A bit much in my opinion, but that's what the boss wanted.

    There is a $4 charge to replace a lost badge.
  • I'm definetly liking the idea of charging for lost badges. Thanks everyone for your input!!!
    Anyone else out there care to jump in? I need all the help I can get 8-} Thanks!
  • We too use the ADP system. Our badges have our company name and logo, employee first and last name (unless they work in patient care, then it is only the first name), and it works as the time clock activator and entrance key to the employee only door. What is nice about this system is whenever an employee enters or leaves the building through this door their name and badge number is saved in the system. We can look up aand see on a paticular day who entered the building and at what time. We also charge $10 for lost badges after the 1st replacement, so employee's get one chance to misplace their badge and after that, they pay!

    Cinderella- this is by far the best forum to frequent x:D .
  • OK, here's my two cents worth.

    We are a corporate training facility of approximately 230 total employees and have Kronos cards for the timeclock that simply have the person's name.

    Name badges are made with a portion of our company logo on badges and nameplates we get from a company called The Cawley Company. They are in Wisconsin. My contact's name is Debra Knudsen and her number is 1-800-822-9539. You put the badges together and we use a P-Touch Professional labeling system (found in any basic office supply catalog) to put on the nameplate that has the person's first and last name and the department they work in.

    Cost is $2.00 to replace a badge (unless the pin back badges break, then it's free), and $5.00 to replace a Kronos card.


  • Yes, the times have changed with the implementation of Homeland Security. Here's a company you may want to try. Integrated ID. 1-800-729-3722. Or [url]www.integratedid.net[/url]. Not only do they have the ID equipment but also attachments, straps, lanyards, etc. You may also consider the number of employees you have and what the cost is going to be by having them commercially done or by purchasing your own equipment. I know in this state you can go to the Department of Transportation and they make up ID's similiar to your drivers license for $5.00.
  • If your company wants the "cheap" way out, get yourselves a digital camera. If you have MicroSoft's Photo Editor and MS Powerpoint, you can design your own badges. All you'll need then, is a lamination machine and the laminant itself. This will work if all you need it for is identification to get into the building.

    If you want more security, you'll need to look into badges that have a special chip in them to gain access to a building (i.e. wave the badge in front of a device by the door, which then opens the door.)

    I'm all for the digital camera route for taking photos...then can be stored easily for future reference when needed, or easily accesible if you need to remake a badge for any reason. All you need to do now, is figure out exactly what they need to be used for...then you can decide what's the best way to make them.

    Good Luck!
  • This is some great info everyone, thanks so much. I would like to include it in my report for my boss. If you would be so kind, please tell me
    1) How many ee's you have
    2) Brand name of software, camera and printer you use and where you purchased it(or if outsourced, name of outsource company).
    3) Approx. cost per card
    4) What you use it for (ie: time clock, ID, door access)
    5) If you have a policy written up in your handbooks/contracts in regards to requirements (ie: "must be worn at all times" etc.)

    and anything else you would like to add! Thank you so much and HAPPY Friday!Cinderella
  • My company also utilizes badges for both identification and building access. In order to gain entry to the building you must flash your badge at the revolving back door. This allows only one employee entry at a time. It also allows us to run reports from the system to determine when employees are arriving in and out of the building, but we don't use it for timekeeping or timesheet purposes. Managers can ask for a report to be run if they are concerned about an employee's attendance.

    During business hours anyone can gain access to the building through the front lobby, but in order to get access to the main hallways and elevators behind the receptionist, you must use a valid badge to open the door.

    We have a section in our Employee handbook titled "Building Access and Security for Corporate Headquarters", it describes procedures for gaining access to the building, what to do if you forget your badge, what to do if you lose your badge, etc. The Facilities department (which is included in the Corporate Employee Services group ) handles the distribution and replacement of badges.

    If an employee forgets their badge for the day, they have to get into the building using the main lobby. The receptionist will than contact Facilities who will issue a temporary badge. We don't have too many employees lose their badges, nor do we charge for replacements. But I agree that charging employees for the cost of replacement would probably go a long way towards reducing "lost" badges.

    One comment I would add to the discussion (just my .02 cents worth), is about NOT printing your company's name on the badge. Our badges allow access to the premises 24 X 7. If an employee were to lose a badge on Friday, but not realize it until Monday when they went to go back into work, any individual who found the badge could gain access to the building the whole weekend. Therefore, we DON'T print the name of our company on the badge. If someone finds a lost/stolen badge, all they would see is the employee's first and last name, the employee number (which is the same number used in the HR/PR system), and the employee's picture, they wouldn't know where exactly the employee worked.
  • Thanks Kristin! You bring up a valid point for businesses operating around the clock.
    Cinderella
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