How to Make Your Out Of Office Message Work For You

Whether you’re taking a day, a week, or a month or more off work, that “out of office” message is the official signal that your break has begun. Turning on our auto responder is usually one of the last things we do before heading out of the door. It’s often done quickly and without a lot of thought. A simple, “I’m out of the office until Monday!” is as descriptive as most people get. But did you know there’s a better way? Here are some tips for making your out of office message work harder for you, which can ensure you have a more relaxing time off be it vacation, maternity/paternity leave, or work travel.

1. Get personal. Explain why you are out of the office. A small glimpse into your life will let those who’ve reached out to you feel connected to your experience, and may give them better insight into why you are gone.
   • Ex: “I’m currently at [insert name of conference] in [insert name of city] gaining awesome insight that I hope to share with you upon my return. Let me know if you want to meet up for coffee and talk about what I’ve learned.”
2. Give a back-up. Share the name and email address of someone who is covering for you while you are gone. This prevents the sender from getting frustrated and may even allow for some problems to get solved while you are gone.
   • Ex: “For anything marketing-related, reach out to [coworker’s name] at [insert email address here]. She should be able to fully answer any questions in my absence.”
3. Share some inspiration. At the end of your message, share an interesting article that’s relevant to those who are reaching out to you, or a quote that they might appreciate.
   • Ex: “In the meantime, check out this great article on why a yearly vacation makes you a more productive worker.”
4. Set some rules. Some people don’t check the backlog of emails that were sent during a vacation. Others read them all diligently upon their return to work. Let your connections know what you plan to do.
   • Ex: “I won’t be reading the emails I’ve missed during my leave of absence. Please re-send me an email upon my return on [insert date here].”

Image via Robert/Flickr.