Coworking Space Access Control Systems: Complete 2025 Guide

Leaving a shared office unlocked might sound unthinkable, yet many spaces still rely on outdated keys or patchwork solutions. The reality? 

Unauthorized access, frustrated members, and wasted staff hours are all too common. A modern coworking access control system changes that, bringing security, efficiency, and flexibility together under one roof.

In this guide, you’ll discover:

• Why access control matters: From safety to member experience.
• Different system types and integrations: Door readers, smart locks, biometrics, and cloud-based solutions.
• Best practices and future trends: How to choose, scale, and optimize your setup.

Why Access Control Systems Matter in Coworking Spaces?

In a coworking environment, hundreds of people may enter and exit each week, such as members, guests, delivery staff, or event attendees. Without proper systems, it becomes nearly impossible to track who should be inside, when, and where. 

This creates risks not only for physical assets but also for member trust. A modern coworking access control system solves these challenges by combining security, convenience, and operational insight. 

Here’s why it matters-

Enhanced Security & Safety: Coworking access control systems make sure only authorized members, staff, and approved visitors can enter. This reduces the risk of theft, prevents outsiders from wandering in, and protects sensitive information. Real-time entry logs also provide a physical security audit trail, helping operators investigate incidents and maintain accountability.

Improved Member Experience: Keys and manual check-ins create friction. With digital systems such as mobile apps, PINs, or keycards, members can enter quickly and without hassle. During peak hours or events, seamless entry prevents bottlenecks, ensuring the workspace feels professional, safe, and welcoming.

Operational Efficiency: Managing visitor passes, onboarding new members, and revoking access can all be automated. This frees staff from repetitive tasks so they can focus on community-building instead of door duty. At the same time, usage data from access control systems helps operators make smarter decisions about layouts, staffing, and memberships.

Flexibility and Scalability: Remote management allows admins to grant or revoke access instantly, perfect for hybrid teams or 24/7 spaces. As the coworking space expands with new doors, floors, or even multiple locations, the system scales smoothly, keeping security aligned with growth.

Why is Coram the Best Coworking Access Control System?

Coram is a cloud-based access control and video security platform that helps businesses of all sizes manage doors, users, and alerts from a single dashboard. 

Trusted by schools, enterprises, and local businesses, it delivers secure, scalable, and easy-to-use solutions without the complexity of multiple systems. For coworking spaces, this means operators can protect members and assets, streamline daily operations, and scale security seamlessly as their community grows.

It stands out because it combines security, flexibility, and ease of use in one streamlined platform. Its cloud-based design and intelligent hardware make it uniquely suited for coworking spaces, where operators need both reliability and scalability.

Here are the benefits it offers to the organizations:

Cloud-based management & scalability: Coram’s centralized dashboard allows operators to manage every door, user, and schedule across multiple sites without juggling systems. Because it’s fully cloud-based, there’s no need for costly on-premises servers or IT-heavy maintenance. Updates are automatic, making it simple to scale as your coworking community grows.

Enhanced security features: Members can unlock doors with their mobile phone for a touchless experience, while operators retain the option of cards and fobs for flexibility. Every access event is paired with synchronized video footage, giving immediate visibility into who entered and when. With customizable access rules, managers can control permissions by time, role, or specific areas, reducing risks and strengthening trust.

Operational continuity: Even if the internet goes down, Coram’s local processing ensures that doors keep functioning. Built-in battery backups prevent disruptions during power outages, so members never face lockouts, and operations continue seamlessly.

Usability & integration: Quick onboarding and compatibility with existing infrastructure make Coram easy to deploy. It works with standard IP cameras and widely used reader protocols, eliminating the need for a complete hardware overhaul. Centralized logs paired with video evidence simplify investigations, compliance checks, and day-to-day monitoring.

Coram’s mix of cloud scalability, real-time video integration, and resilient local processing makes it one of the most reliable and future-ready access control systems for coworking spaces.

How to Manage a Coworking Space?

Managing a coworking space means coordinating people, resources, and technology so the environment feels secure and effortless for members. Operators need systems that handle daily access, monitor activity, and adapt as the community expands.

Access control helps simplify this work. Automated entry reduces the need for staff intervention, while permissions can be adjusted for different membership levels, visitors, or event attendees. Real-time monitoring and alerts add oversight without requiring someone to be physically present at every door.

When you combine streamlined access with strong security, operators can focus on building a positive member experience and confidently scale their coworking space over time.

Coram Access Control Features

24/7 Automated Access

Staff can’t be expected to manage doors around the clock, and members often need late-night or weekend access. Manual keys and check-ins make true flexibility impossible.

Coram solves this with automated, always-on access. Doors open based on membership rules and schedules; you don’t need security staff anymore. Members can work whenever they choose, while operators stay confident that permissions are enforced consistently, even in off-hours.

Mobile & Biometric Authentication

Physical keys and shared PIN codes are easily lost, stolen, or passed around, creating gaps in security. Operators waste hours replacing them and tracking misuse.

Coram eliminates these risks by enabling mobile credentials and biometric verification. Members unlock doors with their phone, fingerprint, or face scan options that can’t be casually duplicated. It’s faster for users and more secure for managers.

Real-Time Alerts & Notifications

In busy coworking hubs, tailgating or forced entries can go unnoticed until it’s too late. Relying on cameras or staff to catch incidents isn’t enough.

Coram delivers immediate alerts whenever something unusual happens, such as a propped door, denied access attempt, or after-hours entry. Operators get notified in real time, so issues can be investigated and resolved before they escalate into bigger problems.

Audit Logs & Compliance Reports

When disputes arise or compliance checks are required, many coworking spaces struggle with incomplete records or scattered systems. That slows investigations and raises liability risks.

Coram automatically creates detailed, centralized audit logs with timestamps and linked video. Every event is documented, making it simple to verify what happened, respond to incidents, and demonstrate compliance without added admin work.

Hardware-Agnostic & Open Platform

Upgrading access control often feels daunting because operators fear tearing out existing hardware. Proprietary systems lock spaces into expensive, inflexible setups.

Coram’s open platform works with the infrastructure you already have, supporting Wiegand and OSDP readers, plus most IP cameras. This reduces installation costs and lets you expand at your own pace without being tied to one vendor’s ecosystem.

Integrated Video Camera System

Access logs alone can’t show who really entered the space, leaving blind spots when theft or security incidents occur. Running cameras and access separately adds complexity.

Coram links every door event to synchronized video footage, whether from existing cameras or Coram’s own. This gives operators instant visual confirmation of every entry, making security stronger and investigations faster, all from one dashboard.

Remote Access from Anywhere

Managing multiple locations or after-hours incidents is a major challenge when operators need to be on-site to make changes. Travel and delays put security at risk.

With Coram’s cloud dashboard, managers can grant or revoke access, update schedules, and monitor video feeds from any device. Remote control keeps operations smooth, whether handling emergencies, supporting hybrid teams, or scaling to multiple coworking hubs.

Multiple Access Points

Coworking spaces are not just about the front door. Meeting rooms, private offices, and storage areas all need secure but flexible entry management. Manual processes can’t keep up.

Coram centralizes control of dozens of doors and access points in one system. Operators can manage everything consistently, setting rules by room, role, or time without juggling different tools. That consistency reduces errors and ensures every area stays secure.

Types of Shared Office Space Security Solutions

Coworking and flexible offices face unique risks: high foot traffic, late-night access, multiple membership tiers, and sensitive business data all under one roof. To protect members and assets, operators need layered security, not just one tool. 

Below are the most effective security solutions for shared office environments and how they solve everyday challenges.

Keypad Entry Systems: Modern keypad systems fix these gaps with programmable, unique PINs that can be updated or revoked instantly. For smaller coworking setups, they offer affordable access control that’s still simple for members to use, while giving operators basic oversight.

RFID Card & Fob Systems: RFID access control systems in coworking spaces provide convenient entry and can be remotely revoked when a membership ends. When paired with cloud dashboards, they give operators better control without needing manual intervention for every change.

Mobile Access Control: Mobile access turns smartphones into secure digital keys. Using Bluetooth or NFC, members tap or wave to unlock doors. This reduces lost credential issues, enables instant updates, and creates a touchless, modern experience that matches coworking’s tech-forward image.

Biometric Authentication: Biometric solutions use fingerprints or facial recognition to ensure only authorized individuals gain access. They provide unmatched security for sensitive spaces, reassuring members that their data and assets are protected, though adoption may be best for select zones rather than the entire coworking floor.

Video Surveillance Systems: Video surveillance fills that gap, providing real-time monitoring and recorded evidence. When integrated with access control, every entry is paired with video footage, making investigations faster and security oversight far more effective.

Visitor Management Systems: Digital visitor management systems register guests, issue temporary passes, and notify hosts automatically. This gives operators visibility into who’s in the space at any time, while creating a smoother experience for visitors and members alike.

Turnstiles & Physical Barriers: Turnstiles and controlled barriers restrict entry to one person at a time, ensuring only those with valid credentials enter. Integrated with digital access control, they add an extra physical layer of protection without slowing down legitimate members.

Types of Coworking Access Control Systems

Managing who enters and exits a coworking space is more complex than in traditional offices. High member turnover, flexible schedules, and guest passes all demand secure yet adaptable systems. 

Here are the main types of access control systems coworking operators rely on:

Key Cards & Fobs: Modern card and fob systems let operators quickly deactivate lost credentials and reassign new ones without replacing locks. They remain a practical entry-level choice for spaces seeking familiarity and low upfront investment.

Mobile App-Based Access: Mobile systems turn smartphones into secure digital keys using Bluetooth, NFC, or cloud apps. Operators can issue or revoke access instantly, while members enjoy a touchless, always-available way to enter the space.

Biometric Access Systems: Biometric systems rely on fingerprints, facial recognition, or iris scans, ensuring access is tied directly to identity. They’re highly secure and convenient, though best reserved for areas requiring elevated protection due to cost and privacy considerations.

PIN Code & Keypad Systems: Modern keypads allow operators to assign unique codes to individuals, which can be updated or revoked in seconds. When paired with cloud dashboards, they provide affordable, flexible access that fits short-term users and day passes.

Hybrid Access Solutions: Hybrid solutions combine two or more methods, like mobile access with keypad backup or fobs paired with biometrics. This layered approach gives members flexibility while allowing operators to set stricter controls for high-security areas.

Benefits of Automated Access to Your Coworking Space

Traditional keys and manual check-ins slow down operations, frustrate members, and leave gaps in security. In coworking spaces where people come and go at all hours, these old systems create more problems than they solve. 

Automated access eliminates those bottlenecks by blending security with convenience. Here’s how it transforms daily operations.

Seamless Member Experience

Members don’t want to wait for staff to unlock doors or manage clunky key systems. These delays set the wrong tone for flexible work.

With automated access, members enter instantly using mobile credentials, cards, or biometrics. Entry is smooth, touchless, and always available, reinforcing the freedom and convenience coworking spaces promise.

Time Savings for Operators

Staff shouldn’t spend hours managing keys, chasing lost fobs, or updating permissions by hand. Manual processes waste time that could be spent building community.

Automation handles onboarding, offboarding, and permission updates in real time. New members gain access as soon as they sign up, and former members lose it immediately, all without staff intervention.

Stronger Security Oversight

Without automation, it’s difficult to know who’s in the space at any given time. This leaves blind spots when incidents occur.

Automated systems provide real-time logs of every entry and exit, often paired with video. Operators can see exactly who accessed what, when, and where, creating accountability and improving incident response.

Scalable Growth

As coworking spaces expand, manual access methods become unsustainable. Multiple locations, new membership tiers, and added meeting rooms all complicate management.

Automated access scales effortlessly. Permissions can be replicated across doors, floors, or entire sites, making it easy to grow without multiplying admin work or compromising security.

Ready to Simplify Coworking Access?

Managing a coworking space doesn’t have to mean juggling keys, chasing lost fobs, or worrying about after-hours security. The right access control system makes operations effortless and secure.

• Create smooth, keyless entry experiences that boost member satisfaction and trust.
• Automate onboarding, offboarding, and visitor access to cut manual work.
• Gain visibility with real-time alerts, video context, and audit-ready logs.
• Scale across multiple doors or locations without costly hardware overhauls.

Coram brings all of this together in one cloud-based platform. If managing access feels harder than it should, Coram is the solution built to make it simple.

Sounds like something you are looking for? Book a demo today.