Is Blackberry dead?  Maybe, maybe not.  But one thing is for sure - even the crustiest IT Manager is opening up the enterprise to devices other than the holstered Blackberry.  Which means you've got an opportunity as a company - to move away from holding an inventory of old cell phone and smart devices, and instead move to a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) Policy.  

It's a good idea if you can swing it - and your IT function agrees.  The security concerns seem to have gone down a great deal over the last couple of years.

Need an example policy?  This one was shared by Capitalist reader and CFO rockstar Scott Stone - follow him on twitter here and connect with him on LinkedIn here.  I can vouch for the guy since I've served him as an HR pro in the past and worked for him as well - he gets HR, recruiting and talent (the soft side), but would put you into the wall in a pickup basketball game on game point if it meant he wins and stays on the court (results-oriented).  I kid. A little bit.

When you think about it, isn't that what you want from your CFO?  Here's his sample BYOD policy.  Thank him yourself through the coordinates above.

BYOD Policy (Bring Your Own Device)

As a company, we place value on many principles which are designed to create an awesome working environment.  While we have to implement policies to keep the house in order, we want those policies to, above all else, “make sense”.  One of those which we feel best embodies this approach is our “BYOD” policy.  Simply stated, it applies to your personal communications device and our expectations of how it’s used for business in the workplace. 

Here are the key points:

--We expect each team member to provide their own device – you select it, you buy it, you pick the plan that makes the most sense for you.  Your phone, your phone number, your provider of choice, your contract with the provider

--We strongly recommend a “Smartphone” of some type, to ensure you can receive emails or other critical communications on the device.

--Our Company will provide you access to your work email address on the device, including assisting you with the setup.

--If your device is a “Smartphone”, our company will reimburse you $75 per month to cover all work related communications on the device (email, text, voice, communications, etc).  We expect you to select a plan which can accommodate your business and personal needs for voice and data

--If you select a PO Phone (plain ‘ol phone) which lacks the ability to receive and send emails, our company will reimburse you $15 per month for all work related communications

--We won’t provide a “company phone” to anyone, preferring to allow you to “BYOD”, and provide everyone maximum flexibility.

--If you ever choose to leave the company, take your phone, your number, and your existing agreement with a provider – no hassle, no number change, no problem.

There you have it, an example BYOD policy from a live CFO in the field.  Thanks Scott!