A telephone policy is a necessary part of doing business. Companies rely on telephones and cell phones to conduct business and serve their clients. Failure to design and implement an employee policy for telephone usage leaves your business open to abuses that cost you time and money. Long distance charges unrelated to business and excessive personal calls that eat away at the productive time of your employees will undoubtedly affect your bottom line.
In order for a telephone use policy to be effective, it must be concise and address accountability for violations. Employees should be required to familiarize themselves with the company telephone policy; they should also be held accountable for any violations. Management staff should then be responsible for monitoring and enforcing the telephone polices. What does this involve?
1. Ensure all employees are aware of the telephone use policy.
2. Require all employees to sign acknowledgment forms regarding the company telephone use policy.
3. Review phone bills for unusual calls and investigate items for concern regarding employee phone usage.
4. Enforce disciplinary actions for violations of business telephone policy.
Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done
Develop a telephone use policy that includes cell phone usage policy
Although employee cell phone usage should be primarily business-related, you may encounter situations where an employee's personal cell phone calls outnumber business calls. Some companies have banned the use of cell phones entirely - except during established break periods. If employee cell phone usage is required for business reasons, your cell phone usage policy should indicate if and when personal calls are allowed.
I recommend: Info-Tech Research Group, an IT advisory firm, has a sample cellular phone policy template that you can customize for your own business. If you prefer to have a professional draft your telephone policies,
Orion Systems supplies reasonably-priced employee handbooks - drafted by an attorney - that include communications policies.
Stress legal liability issues of employee cell phone use while driving
Each year statistics regarding auto accidents resulting from cell phone use get worse. Your company could be held liable for damage or death caused by an employee cell phone use while driving. Additionally, should your worker be injured in an auto accident while driving, you could still be liable for worker's compensation claims.
I recommend: Braun Consulting Group drafted an employer's guide to cell phone liability. The document outlines items that need to be included in your cellular phone policy to protect your business assets; it also discusses the repercussions of omitting these restrictions.
Business & Legal Reports provides concise information on how cell phone laws could affect your liability in order to help you draft an effective employee cell phone policy.
Address the monitoring of communications in your telephone use policy
Companies have various reasons for keeping track of employee communications, and your telephone policies need to address those reasons. As a business owner you have a responsibility to protect your company from unauthorized activities; however, your monitoring policies must comply with the law so the rights of your employees are not violated.
I recommend: Nolo, a premier provider of legal information, details the rules for monitoring employee communications while ensuring privacy.
Wiley Rein supplies companies with guidance for obtaining employee consent prior to monitoring phone conversations.
Tips & Tactics
Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide
- Clearly written business and telephone policies are needed to protect your business. Always have your policies reviewed by an attorney familiar with employment law.
The official source of Employee Policy for the Telephone is
the Employee Policy for the Telephone page at Business.com
Related Resources from Business.com
Comments
Is any content on this page inappropriate? To let us know, please 
