The ultimate guide to creating a mobile phone policy for your workplace

Technology and mobile phones have become an essential part of our personal and work lives. While devices and access to the internet can help to manage responsibilities, stay connected and get tasks done on the go, it can present challenges. From constant notifications causing distraction, to data security risks and misuse of company time, it’s something every employee needs to manage.

Having a clear mobile phone policy at work is essential to providing clarity of guidelines and transparency of expectations for your team. It allows employees to benefit from the convenience of mobile phones while also protecting productivity, maintaining professionalism and safeguarding sensitive information.

We’ll walk you through everything you need to know about setting up a mobile phone use at work policy that is suitable for your team. We’ve included a free downloadable telephone, mobile, internet and email policy template that you can easily customise to suit your business. 

What is a workplace mobile phone policy?

A mobile phone policy for the workplace is a formal set of guidelines that defines how employees can use their devices during business hours. The purpose is not to eliminate personal device use entirely, but to set clear boundaries so that personal and professional responsibilities can coexist without disruption.

At its core these guidelines ensure that devices are used responsibly. It is designed to: 

• Reduce distractions
• Maintain productivity
• Protect company data

Guidelines should also set expectations around when and how employees can use their devices, whether that’s during breaks, for business-related calls or in emergency situations.

Who it applies to:

Comprehensive guidelines should apply consistently across your team, including for

• On-site employees. Ensuring phones don’t interfere with day-to-day operations or safety.
• Remote and hybrid staff. Clarifying how personal devices should be used when doing their jobs from home or outside the office.
• Temporary and contract staff. Making sure all team members are aware of the same rules and expectations.

Legal considerations

When drafting your mobile phones at work policy, it’s important to consider legal obligations: 

• Employment contracts.Ensure your policy aligns with existing contractual terms.
• Privacy laws. In many regions, including the UK, employee privacy must be respected, especially if employers intend to monitor mobile phone use.
• Data protection regulations (e.g. GDPR in the UK and EU). If staff access company data from personal devices, policies should outline safeguards to prevent data breaches.

By addressing these areas, your guidelines will strike the right balance between employee flexibility and business protection.

Why every employer needs a clear mobile phone policy

The downloadable template covers telephone, mobile, internet and email usage in the workplace, but you can customise this to your business’ needs. It’s helpful to have a policy that covers all forms of online or telecommunications. Having a policy in place is more than just a formality, it’s a practical tool for managing expectations and protecting your business. Without one, misunderstandings can arise, productivity can suffer and security risks can increase. Here’s why every employer should have clear guidelines: 

Reduces distractions and increases productivity

Although having access to devices can be helpful at times, it is also a huge source of distraction. Notifications, social media scrolling and personal calls can quickly reduce focus. Guidelines help employees understand when phone use is acceptable, ensuring that productivity remains high without completely restricting access.

Data protection

Personal devices can pose a risk when employees handle sensitive business information. Unsecured apps, public Wi-Fi, or sharing files via personal devices can all lead to data breaches. By setting boundaries in clear guidelines, employers can reinforce cybersecurity protocols and protect confidential information.

Sets expectations 

Without clear rules, employees may have very different ideas about what’s acceptable. Some might assume quick texts are fine, while others think devices should only be used during breaks. A consistent use of mobile phones at work policy eliminates confusion by outlining exactly what is expected.

Supports a consistent disciplinary process

If device misuse becomes an issue, having a documented policy ensures all employees are treated fairly. It provides a reference point for managers, supports progressive discipline and helps maintain consistency across the organisation. This protects both employer and employee by creating transparency in how issues are addressed.

What to include in a mobile phone policy

As important as having guidance is, knowing what to include in a mobile phone at work policy isn’t always cut and dry. To save you time and stress, here’s everything you should include: 

• Allowed vs. prohibited use
  Clearly outline what’s acceptable and what isn’t.
  • Acceptable: brief personal calls, urgent messages, business-related communication.
  • Not acceptable: extended personal calls, social media browsing, gaming, or streaming during business hours.
• Break time vs. work time use
  Specify that personal device use should be limited to designated break periods. This helps balance personal needs with uninterrupted focus.
• Work-related phone use (company-issued devices)
  If your business provides company phones, define when and how they should be used. Clarify whether personal use of company-issued devices is permitted and any restrictions tied to data security.
• Privacy expectations
  Be transparent about monitoring. If your organisation reserves the right to review usage of company devices or networks, state this clearly while respecting employee privacy rights and relevant laws.
• Consequences for policy violations
  Outline the disciplinary process for misuse. This might range from verbal warnings for minor infractions to formal disciplinary action for repeated or severe breaches.
• Accommodation for emergencies or specific roles
  Allow flexibility where necessary. For example, employees in caregiving roles may need to remain reachable, or certain jobs may require constant communication via phone.
• BYOD (bring your own device) considerations
  If staff use their personal devices to do their job, your guidelines should address data security, confidentiality and expectations for separating business from personal use.

Step-by-step guide to writing your mobile phone policy

Now you know the building blocks of a telephone, mobile, email and internet policy, downloaded the template…what’s next? Here is a structured process to help you assess your workplace needs and build a policy that works for you. 

Step 1: Assess needs and risks

To kick things off, assess your current situation to determine any potential needs and risks. Consider things like:

• Do devices create frequent distractions? 
• Are employees handling sensitive data on personal devices?

Identifying the specific challenges in your business will shape the focus of your guidelines. 

Step 2: Involve managers and get legal advice

Managers can often provide valuable insight into how devices impact their teams day-to-day. Make sure you get their feedback before putting guidelines in place. 

It’s also recommended that you seek legal guidance, either from internal legal teams, or an external HR Advisory service, especially if your mobile phone use at work policy involves monitoring or disciplinary action. This ensures compliance with employment contracts, privacy regulations and data protection laws.

Step 3: Draft guidelines

When writing your guidance, avoid vague rules. Instead, write it in plain, consistent language that makes it easy for employees to understand what is expected. Consider using a template as a starting point, then adapt it to reflect your company culture and operational needs.

Step 4: Communicate guidelines with employees

Guidelines are only effective if employees know about them. So make sure you share it during onboarding and employee induction, team meetings, or through your internal HR system. Training sessions can also help reinforce the importance of compliance and answer employee questions.

Step 5: Review and update regularly

Technology and business needs evolve quickly. Review your guidelines at least annually to ensure they remain relevant and effective. It’s important to make adjustments to reflect:

• Changes in legislation
• Changes in industry regulations
• Changes in company practices

Downloadable mobile phone policy template

To make things easier, we’ve created a free mobile phone at work policy template UK that you can customise for your business. This editable document saves time and ensures you don’t miss any key elements when drafting your own guidelines. 

How to use the mobile phone policy template:

• Download the template and review each section.
• Adapt it to reflect your company’s culture, industry and legal obligations.
• Share it with managers for feedback before rolling it out to your team.

Best practices for enforcing your mobile phone policy

Even the best written mobile phone policy at work is only effective when best practices for implementation and enforcement are followed. But knowing how to introduce new guidelines can be tricky. The goal is to focus on building trust, maintain professionalism and support productivity, so here’s how you can achieve that: 

Be consistent

Apply your guidelines equally across all employees, regardless of seniority or department. Inconsistency can undermine credibility and cause frustration. When everyone is held to the same standard, compliance becomes easier to achieve.

Align with other policies

Ensure your mobile phone policy aligns with other workplace policies including:

• Disciplinary procedures 
• Code of Conduct 
• Social Media policy 

Encourage manager feedback

Managers are on the front line of enforcing guidelines. Encourage them to provide feedback on how the policy is functioning in practice. Their insights can help refine the rules to make them more practical and better aligned with team needs.

Adapt for remote or field employees

Not all roles are the same. Remote staff may rely more heavily on personal devices, while field employees may need constant phone access to stay connected. Ensure your enforcement approach is flexible enough to account for different arrangements.

By enforcing your mobile phone at work policy with fairness, consistency and adaptability, you’ll strengthen its effectiveness while maintaining employee trust and engagement.

Building a mobile phone at work policy that suits your team

A clear mobile phone policy at work is one of the simplest but most effective tools for maintaining productivity, protecting company data and ensuring fairness across your business. By setting out clear expectations, you reduce misunderstandings, create consistency and support a positive environment where both employees and employers feel protected.

Every business is different, which is why it’s important to adapt the policy to suit your culture, industry and legal requirements. Employment Hero’s template is designed to give you a strong starting point, while still leaving room for you to customise it to your team’s unique needs.