By Denisa Caldova,

Head of Communications at Sharry

Employee badges in Apple Wallet bring a higher standard of workplace experience for the user. But they also significantly improve the physical security of any company. Despite being “just” a virtual badge, the employee badge in Apple Wallet has a real effect on the physical security of corporations and their security operations. Traditional mobile credentials – using Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) for iPhone and NFC for Android – have already brought several enhancements compared to plastic badges. But with Apple Wallet, available now from Sharry, it goes even further.

Let’s take a look at some of the most frequently mentioned use cases that our clients must address in the hybrid work:

Scene #1

The user doesn’t know where his company badge is

This is a very common scenario for hybrid work when employees come to the office only twice or three times a week. Perhaps, they switch bags and leave the employee badge in the one they had with them on Monday, only to not be able to get into the office on Wednesday. But they will always have their iPhone or Apple Watch with them.

If an employee misplaces their Apple device with a badge in Apple Wallet, they can use the Find My app to lock and help locate their device. It’s a very useful tool to reduce extra costs for issuing an unnecessary badge duplicate.

Scene #2

The mobile device with the employee badge is not lost but stolen. Could someone misuse the Apple Wallet badge for unauthorized workplace access?

Unlike plastic cards, users almost immediately notice when they lose their phone. In that case, they don’t have to report the incident to Helpdesk or the IT department with a request to suspend their badge. They can easily revoke their employee badge in Apple Wallet through iCloud or remotely erase the device and its office keys.

Scene #3

What if the employee doesn’t know how to suspend it via iCloud?

In that case, the workplace, security, or HR manager, or any other dedicated person, can easily and remotely suspend or revoke any employee badge through the Sharry cloud-based portal. This action immediately prevents any further unauthorized use of the badge.

Scene #4

The employee’s device is gone with the badge. But as a company representative, I need to ensure that they can access the office. How can I effectively deliver a new badge to him?

Briefly – with one click in the Sharry portal.

Once the employee gets a new device, they just open their employer mobile app developed by Sharry, generate a new badge there, and tap Add to Apple Wallet. After a few seconds, they can use their iPhone or Apple Watch to access the office space, or use a printer as they were used to.

Sharry also supports SCIM (System for Cross-domain Identity Management) for easy and secure onboarding and offboarding. With SCIM, all enterprise admins can easily add, update, or remove users to their HR systems, and data is immediately synchronized also with the Sharry platform and Apple Wallet badges.

Scene #5

OK, the employee gets a new badge. How do I ensure that another user does not enter with this particular badge?

Badge readers can use Face ID or Touch ID on iPhone to provide additional security for spaces that require it. But the most common usage is with Express Mode, when employees don’t need to wake or unlock their iPhone or Apple Watch to use their badge in Apple Wallet. They can get in faster and enjoy a superb contactless experience.

Scene #6

The employee uses an iPhone and Apple Watch. Could they generate mobile badges on both devices and then easily lend one of them to another colleague?

No, Sharry supports a Single badge policy to enhance the security of a digitized workspace. By implementing the Single badge policy, a user will have only one badge active at a time – meaning once they activate their badge in for example Apple Watch, the other ones (including a plastic badge) will be automatically suspended.

However, the user will be able to switch between them smoothly in the Sharry mobile app to ensure greater flexibility and a better experience.

Scene #7

With the Apple Wallet badge, can I access only the lobby of my office building?

With an employee badge in Apple Wallet, staff and guests can easily access their corporate spaces with just their iPhone or Apple Watch—from doors and elevators to turnstiles, parking spaces, printers, and more. Employees just need to hold their iPhone or Apple Watch near the reader to unlock. It’s easy, convenient, and private.

Scene #8

What about personal data? How is their protection ensured?

Mobile employee badges in Apple Wallet take full advantage of the privacy and security features built into iPhone and Apple Watch. They are stored on the employee’s device, which means Apple doesn’t see the doors or spaces your employees or tenants in the office building access, so data is private and secure.

Regarding personal data management, the whole Sharry workplace experience platform is fully compliant with GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) and CCPA (The California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018).