Think of your Acceptable Use Policy as a friendly roadmap that helps your team navigate technology use confidently and securely. Rather than a list of restrictions, a well-crafted AUP is actually an empowering document that gives employees clarity on what they can do, how to do it safely, and why it matters for everyone's success.

A good AUP serves as a starting point for employees to understand expectations around technology use, protects both the company and individuals, and creates a foundation of trust that enables better business relationships with clients and partners.

The 6 Components Every  AUP Must Include

1. Clear Scope and Applicability

Start by clearly defining who this policy helps and what systems it covers. This creates clarity rather than confusion.

Example approach: "This policy applies to all team members, contractors, and partners who access our company systems, helping everyone understand how to use our technology resources safely and effectively."

2. Device and Network Security Guidelines

Your team works from various locations: home offices, coworking spaces, coffee shops. Your AUP should provide helpful guidance for staying secure everywhere.

Key areas to address:

  • Guidelines for personal use (reasonable and realistic)
  • Software installation recommendations
  • Wi-Fi security tips for remote work

3. Communication and Collaboration Best Practices

Help your team understand how to communicate professionally while representing the company well.

Include guidance on:

  • What information can be shared externally
  • Professional communication standards
  • Social media guidelines that protect both personal and company interests

4. Internet and Email Guidelines

Based on your reference document, this section should balance business needs with reasonable personal use.

Key principles:

  • Business use is primary, reasonable personal use is acceptable
  • Professional communication standards
  • Security-conscious browsing practices

From your document: Personal use is permitted when it doesn't affect business performance, doesn't create security threats, and stays within reasonable bounds.

5. Remote Work and Privacy Guidelines

Since most teams work remotely at least part-time, provide clear, helpful guidance for maintaining security and privacy off-site.

Essential elements:

  • Creating appropriate work environments
  • Protecting company equipment and data
  • Equipment security when traveling

Positive approach: "When working remotely, choose environments that allow you to maintain confidentiality, this protects both our clients' trust and your professional reputation."

6. Incident Reporting and Support

Frame this as a support system rather than a punishment mechanism.

Include:

  • Who to contact for help (specific roles and contact methods)
  • Resources available for support

Supportive language: "If you encounter any security concerns or need guidance, our IT team is here to help. Quick reporting helps us address issues faster and protect everyone."

The 4 Biggest AUP Mistakes

Mistake #1: The "Everything is Forbidden" Approach

I see policies that ban personal email, personal phone calls, and basically any human behavior. This doesn't make you more secure. It makes your policy irrelevant.

Reality check: Your sales team is going to check personal email. Your developers are going to Stack Overflow questions. Write policies that acknowledge real-world usage while protecting what matters.

Mistake #2: Ignoring Remote Work Reality

Too many AUPs were written in 2015 when everyone worked in an office. If your policy doesn't address home offices, coworking spaces, and personal devices, it's worthless.

Fix: Explicitly address remote work scenarios. "When working from locations outside company offices, employees must ensure their workspace is private during customer calls and lock their screen when stepping away."

Mistake #3: Making it Impossible to Find or Understand

I've seen huge AUPs buried in employee handbooks. I've seen policies written in legal language that require a law degree to understand.

Solution: Keep it simple, use plain English, and make it easily accessible. If employees can't find it or understand it, compliance is impossible.

Mistake #4: Ignoring AI Tools

Your employees are already using AI tools like ChatGPT for writing, GitHub Copilot for coding, etc. Without clear guidelines, they're making decisions about what data is safe to share with AI systems, and those decisions might be putting your business at risk.

Solution: Clear AI guidelines prevent accidental data exposure that could violate customer contracts or compliance requirements.

Ready to Create Your Own Acceptable Use Policy?

Getting your AUP right from the start saves time, prevents costly mistakes, and builds the trust that enterprise customers are looking for. That's why I've created a comprehensive AUP template that you can download and customize for your business: completely free, no registration required.

Download Your Free AUP Template

This template includes:

  • All  essential components
  • Modern AI usage guidelines
  • Remote work best practices
  • Clear, business-friendly language that employees actually understand
  • Compliance-ready structure for SOC 2 and ISO 27001 audits

Download the Complete AUP Template →

No email signup, no sales calls, no strings attached. Just grab it and start building the policy your business needs.

Need More Than Just a Template?

If you're looking at SOC 2 or ISO 27001 compliance, an AUP is just one piece of the puzzle. Most companies need 15-20 different security policies, plus the tools, processes, and expertise to make it all work together.

At SecureLeap, we've streamlined the entire compliance process by bundling:

  • All required security policies (written specifically for your business)
  • Compliance tools (like Vanta/Drata) configured and managed
  • Professional audits through our certified partners
  • vCISO expertise to guide you through the entire process

Instead of juggling multiple vendors and trying to figure out compliance on your own, you get a single point of accountability and a clear path to certification.

The result? Companies typically get SOC 2 compliant in 3-4 months instead of 8-12, and they close enterprise deals faster because their security posture actually makes sense.

Curious how this works for your specific situation? Book a call here so we can review your needs together: https://cal.com/marcal-santos-qx8l0j/secureleap

or 

Contact me using this form.

I read and respond to every message, and I'm happy to point you in the right direction even if we don't end up working together.