Blackberry. Crackberry.

My department has recently implemented a really cool work/life balance initiative. The purpose is to ensure people don’t over-work themselves and to make sure the work we do is done efficiently. This new policy entails the following:
- No emails between 7 PM and 7 AM (in other words, if you are at home you should be spending time with your family and not on your blackberry).
- No meetings during lunch – you MUST take your lunch hour
- No blackberries during meetings or during meals.
- You are not to use your blackberry in the car – even as a passenger. You should take the time in the car to socialize we fellow co-wrokers.
- If you call a meeting you must state the purpose, why the person you to attend should be there and include an agenda.
- Use proper email etiquette. There is no need to cc the entire world. Think before you cc… does this person really need this information? What do you require from them if they are cc’d?

I think these are awesome policies! I don’t have a blackberry, but when you receive an email sent from your boss at 2 AM, it really makes you wonder if the same kind of dedication is expected from you! I mean really, why should you need to email in the middle of the night?

A recent accident definitely put this into perspective for all of us. I don’t know the client or even the sales person who told this story, but apparently a client recently died in a head-on collision during broad day-light. He didn’t survive the crash, but his blackberry did… the screen showed a half-written email. He was 32 with a wife and kids.