What is an employee code of conduct?
An employee code of conduct is a short workplace policy that sets the baseline standard of professional behavior for everyone at the company: how people treat each other, follow the law, handle conflicts of interest, and use company resources.
When should your company use one?
Most companies benefit from a code of conduct from early on, since it gives every new hire a single, memorable reference for how they're expected to behave, rather than leaving norms to be picked up informally. It becomes essential once the team is too big for leadership to model expectations in person for every employee.
Free employee code of conduct template
Use the template below as your starting point. It covers professional behavior, compliance, conflicts of interest, and company resources, and it's ready to copy into your employee handbook.
Purpose
This code of conduct sets clear expectations for how employees at [Company Name] behave toward each other, customers, and the company itself, so everyone works from the same standard regardless of role or level.
Scope
This policy applies to every employee, and to contractors and vendors where noted in their agreement, whenever they are representing [Company Name] or working on its behalf.
Professional behavior
Employees are expected to:
- Treat colleagues, customers, and partners with respect and courtesy
- Communicate honestly and avoid spreading rumors or unverified information
- Be punctual and give reasonable notice when they can't be
- Keep disagreements professional and resolve them through appropriate channels
Compliance with laws and regulations
Employees must comply with all applicable laws and regulations relevant to their role, and raise any concern about a legal or regulatory issue with their manager or HR rather than ignoring it.
Conflicts of interest
Employees must disclose any outside activity, financial interest, or relationship that could reasonably conflict with [Company Name]'s interests, so it can be reviewed and, if needed, managed appropriately.
Use of company property and resources
- Use company equipment, accounts, and resources for their intended business purpose
- Avoid excessive personal use of company systems during work hours
- Report lost, damaged, or misused equipment promptly
Health, safety, and confidentiality
Employees must follow [Company Name]'s health and safety guidance and keep confidential information secure, as detailed in the company's dedicated health and safety and confidentiality policies.
Disciplinary consequences
Violations of this code are addressed based on severity, ranging from a conversation with a manager to formal disciplinary action, up to termination for serious or repeated violations.
How to customize the template
Cross-reference your company's more detailed policies (confidentiality, safety, conflicts of interest) rather than duplicating them here, so this code stays a short, readable summary employees will actually remember.
Legal and practical considerations
A code of conduct works best as a short, plain-language summary, with the detailed rules living in dedicated policies it links out to, so updates to one don't require rewriting the other. Since violations can lead to disciplinary action or termination, have employees formally acknowledge the code at hiring so there's a clear record they received and understood it.
Rollout checklist
Once the template is customized, a few practical steps make sure it's actually used:
- Cross-reference your existing confidentiality, safety, and conflict-of-interest policies
- Have the policy reviewed by legal counsel for your jurisdiction
- Add it to your employee handbook and internal policy library
- Have every employee formally acknowledge it at hiring
- Include it in new hire onboarding
- Revisit it whenever a new detailed policy it should reference gets added
