Why Your Out of Office Message Matters

Your out of office email message is helpful to your business contacts, and it also helps you enjoy your time away from work. When people know that you are away, they are less likely to send you multiple emails on the same subject so you can return to work with a less cluttered inbox. When you provide contact information for someone who is filling in for you while you’re out, coworkers can follow up with that person, reducing the backlog of tasks when you return.

Here are some steps to consider when writing an effective and professional out of office message. By carefully following these steps, you can relax and enjoy your time away from work, knowing that your contacts have the information they need to carry on working until you get back.

1. Acknowledge the contact

Thank the person for contacting you in a courteous way. This phrasing doesn’t have to be elaborate. It can be just one brief sentence, such as Thank you for your message. Opening the message in this way shows professionalism.

2. Give specific dates for your absence

List the specific dates that you will be out of the office, and double-check them carefully. If you already have an OOO message configured from the last time you were out, be sure that you change the dates before reactivating it. One common mistake that people make is turning on an old message with incorrect dates, creating confusion and frustration among their contacts.

3. Provide contact information for anyone handling tasks while you are out

Include the name, phone number, and email address of anyone who will be handling any part of your responsibilities while you are away. If your job involves multiple tasks and different people are managing things, explain who to contact for each need. When you return to work, be sure you follow up with the people who handled your responsibilities while you were out so that you can get up to speed as soon as possible.

4. Set expectations for when you will respond

Close with a promise that you will reply or otherwise follow up as soon as possible when you return to the office. If there will be some delay in responding after you get back to work, specify that here so your contacts know what to expect. For example, I will return to work on [date]. However, I am attending a training on that date, so I will respond to communications on the following day.

5. Proofread your message

Carefully proofread your message for typographical errors, incorrect dates, and any other mistakes. Just as with any business communication, you want your out of office message to be professional in tone and structure. Follow the constructs of business writing rather than casual conversation.

6. Activate the message

Take the appropriate steps within your email system to activate the out of office email message. Often people forget this step, and the carefully crafted message goes unused. Be sure to turn the OOO message off when you get back to work.

As you approach a much-anticipated vacation or a few well-earned days away from work, it’s tempting to dash off a funny note to coworkers and run for the door. However, taking a few minutes to craft a professional and informative out of office message saves you and those who depend on you a great deal of time and frustration.

Template 1:

Thank you for your message. Please note that I will be away from my emails from [starting date] through [ending date]. If you need immediate assistance, you can reach [contact person] at [email] or [phone number]. I will respond to communications as soon as I return to the office.

Template 2:

Thank you for contacting me. Your message is important. I will be out of the office from [starting date] until [ending date]. [Contact person] will be available in my absence. You can email [pronoun] at [email] or [phone number]. I will be at a corporate retreat on my first day back at work, so I will respond to communications on [date].

Template 3:

Thank you for your email. I hope you are having a wonderful day. I will be out of the office starting [starting date] and will return on [ending date]. If you need immediate assistance with [task or topic], you can reach [contact person] at [email] or [phone number]. I will respond to your message as soon as I return to the office.

Example 1:

Hello, and thank you for your message. I will be away from December 20, 2020, through January 1, 2021. If you need immediate assistance, you can reach Tina at tina@email.gov or (999) 999-9999. I will respond to communications as soon as I return to the office.

Example 2:

Thank you for contacting me. Your message is important. However, I will be out of the office from December 20, 2020, until January 2, 2021. Bob will be available in my absence. You can email him at bob@email.gov or (999) 999-9999. I will be at the corporate retreat on my first day back at work, so I will respond to communications on January 3, 2021.

Example 3:

Thank you for your email. I hope you are having a wonderful day. I will be out of the office starting December 20, 2021, and will return on January 4, 2021. If you need immediate assistance with a payroll question, you can reach Jamie at jamie@email.gov or (999) 999-999. I will respond to your message as soon as I return to the office.