Email & communications policy template
A free, ready-to-edit email and communications policy template for Australian workplaces. Set clear rules for acceptable use, personal use, confidentiality, monitoring and record retention so your team uses company email professionally and safely — no signup required.
Email & communications policy
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By downloading, you agree to our template disclaimer
This email and communications policy template reflects Australian workplace, privacy and surveillance standards at the time of publication and is provided as a general guide to adapt for your business. It does not constitute legal, HR, or professional advice and should not be relied on as a substitute for advice specific to your business, workforce, or circumstances.
Why your workplace needs an email & communications policy
Email is one of the most common ways your business communicates — internally with staff and externally with customers, suppliers and regulators. Without clear rules, employees may not understand the professional standards, confidentiality requirements and legal obligations that come with using company systems.
An email use policy at work is simply a set of rules dictating how employees use corporate email accounts. It protects both sides: it sets expectations for professional, respectful communication, keeps sensitive data safe, reduces cyber-security and legal risk, and gives you a fair basis to act if email is misused. Because emails are often discoverable in legal proceedings and can sit on backups long after deletion, getting this right matters.
This policy applies to all employees, contractors and temporary staff using company email, instant messaging, calendars and connected devices — at the workplace, while travelling, or working from home. It pairs naturally with your internet use policy and social media policy. Store it and capture acknowledgements in your HR software so you can show every worker has read and understood it.
What an email & communications policy should cover
The essentials of clear, safe electronic communication
Professional standards
Expectations for tone, language and formatting in work emails.
Personal use
Whether limited, reasonable personal use is allowed and any limits.
Confidentiality
Protecting sensitive business and customer information when emailing.
Prohibited content
Offensive, harassing, junk or chain content that is never permitted.
Monitoring notice
Clear notice that work email may be monitored and is not private.
Retention & archiving
How long emails are kept and the rules for archiving records.
What's included in this template
A complete framework for professional, compliant email use
Purpose & scope
Why email guidelines matter and who and when they apply to.
Policy statement
Core principles for professional electronic communication.
Professional standards
Standards for tone, language and formatting in work emails.
Acceptable use
What company email and messaging systems should be used for.
Personal use
Guidelines for occasional, reasonable personal email use.
Confidentiality requirements
Protecting sensitive business and customer information.
Prohibited content
Offensive, harassing, junk and other content that is not permitted.
Email etiquette
Best practice for effective and respectful communication.
Monitoring & privacy
Notice that work email may be monitored and is not private.
Retention & archiving
Requirements for storing and managing email records.
Breaches & acknowledgement
Consequences for misuse and employee sign-off.
Getting monitoring, privacy and confidentiality right
The Australian rules that shape an enforceable email policy
Tell staff if you monitor email
Employers can monitor work email systems, but most Australian states require employees to be notified first. Workplace surveillance laws in NSW and the ACT, for example, require written notice before computer or email monitoring begins. State clearly in the policy that work email is not private and may be monitored, so monitoring is lawful and defensible.
Confidential data needs extra care
Personal information sent by email is covered by the Privacy Act 1988 and the Australian Privacy Principles. Spell out when sensitive business, financial or customer data must be encrypted, what should never be sent by email, and how to handle a misdirected message — this is where most data breaches start.
What a strong email policy controls
Professional tone
Clear, respectful, business-appropriate language in every email.
Prohibited content
No offensive, discriminatory, harassing, junk or chain messages.
Cyber security
Caution with attachments, links and suspected phishing emails.
Record retention
How long emails are kept and the process to archive or delete.
Breaches of the policy are managed consistently through your misconduct process, with outcomes ranging from a warning to termination for serious cases such as leaking confidential data.
Read this policy alongside your wider technology framework — the internet use policy, data protection policy and information security policy. For tone and structure, point staff to the email & communication etiquette guide. The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner and Fair Work Ombudsman publish further guidance on privacy and acceptable workplace conduct.
Who should use this template?
Any Australian business that runs on email needs clear communication rules
Especially valuable for teams handling customer, financial or health data, where a misdirected email can become a reportable breach.
Compliance resources
Official guidance on privacy, surveillance and acceptable workplace conduct.
Manage your policies the easy way
RosterElf helps Australian businesses store policies, capture employee acknowledgements at onboarding and keep an audit trail — all in one place.
Related guides
Write and roll out workplace policies the right way
Related templates
Build out your technology & data framework
Internet use policy
Set fair rules for browsing, downloads and personal internet use at work.
View templateData protection policy
Manage and protect personal and sensitive data appropriately.
View templateInformation security policy
Protect business information and digital assets from security threats.
View templateEmail & communications policy FAQ
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An email use policy at work is a set of rules that dictate how employees use corporate email accounts. It defines professional standards, sets out what is acceptable and prohibited, explains how confidential data must be handled, gives notice of monitoring, and covers record retention. The goal is professional communication, protected data, reduced cyber risk and lower legal liability.
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A complete policy should include its purpose and scope, a policy statement, professional standards, acceptable and personal use rules, confidentiality requirements, prohibited content, email etiquette, a monitoring and privacy notice, retention and archiving rules, the consequences of breaches, and an employee acknowledgement. See our internet use policy for the wider technology framework.
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Yes. This template is a solid foundation, but you should tailor it to your IT systems, security requirements, industry regulations and any applicable modern award or enterprise agreement. Consider input from your IT or security team during customisation, and review it against the employment law guide.
Before you download
General information only — not legal advice
This document is a general HR template provided for informational purposes only. It is not legal advice and may not reflect the latest changes in legislation or apply to every workplace situation. RosterElf Pty Ltd and the template provider accept no liability for any loss arising from reliance on this document. Users should seek independent legal advice and customise the template to ensure it complies with all relevant laws, awards and workplace requirements.