Email Signature Etiquette: The Unwritten Rules

Your email signature says something about you before the recipient reads a word you've written. The wrong signature — too long, too flashy, or too bare — can undermine your message. Here are the unwritten rules of email signature etiquette that Australian professionals should follow.

1. Full Signature vs Reply Signature

Not every email needs your full signature. Best practice:

• First email to someone new: Full signature with name, title, company, phone, logo, and social links.
• Replies in an existing thread: A shortened version — just your name, phone, and maybe a one-liner. Nobody needs to scroll past your full signature 15 times in a thread.
• Internal emails: A minimal signature or just your name. Your colleagues know who you are.

Most email clients let you set different signatures for new emails vs replies. Use this feature.

2. What to Include (and What to Skip)

Always include:

• Full name
• Job title
• Company name
• Phone number (clickable on mobile)
• Email address (yes, even though they already have it — it's useful for forwarded emails)

Include if relevant:

• Company logo
• Website URL
• LinkedIn profile (the most useful social link for business)
• ABN or licence number (required in many Australian industries)
• Pronouns (increasingly common and appreciated)

Leave out:

• Inspirational quotes — they rarely land well in business email
• Fax numbers — it's 2026
• Multiple phone numbers (pick one primary)
• Every social media platform you've ever joined
• Confidentiality disclaimers longer than the email itself

3. The Pronouns Question

Including pronouns (e.g. he/him, she/her, they/them) in your email signature is increasingly common in Australian workplaces. It's a small gesture that signals inclusivity. If your organisation supports it, add them after your name or title — e.g. "Sarah Chen (she/her)".

4. Confidentiality Disclaimers

Those long legal disclaimers at the bottom of emails are ubiquitous in Australia, especially in law, finance, and government. Here's the reality:

• They're generally not legally enforceable in Australia
• They don't create confidentiality where none otherwise exists
• But many organisations require them anyway as policy

If you must include one, keep it short — 2–3 lines maximum. Put it in a small font below your signature, not as part of the signature itself.

5. Headshots: Yes or No?

Headshots are great for sales, real estate, and client-facing roles where personal connection matters. Skip them for internal IT, back-office, or team inboxes (support@, info@). Use a professional photo — not a holiday snap, not a decade-old portrait.

6. Mobile Signature Etiquette

"Sent from my iPhone" is the default mobile signature for millions of people. Replace it with a proper (shorter) signature, or at minimum, remove the default. Options:

• Short version of your desktop signature
• Just your name and phone number
• Nothing at all (your desktop signature will appear in the thread above)

7. Seasonal Updates

It's perfectly acceptable to update your signature seasonally — Christmas hours, EOFY promotions, event invitations. Just remember to update it back afterwards. Nothing looks worse than a "Merry Christmas 2024!" banner in March.

8. When You Change Jobs

Update your signature on day one of a new role. Don't keep sending emails with your old company's branding — it creates confusion and potentially legal issues. If you're between jobs, use a personal email with a minimal signature (name, phone, LinkedIn).