Photo by Vicko Mozara on Unsplash
In today’s world, the expected response time to an email is usually 24 to 48 hours.
But, what if you’re out of the office for an extended period of time? What if you want meaningful time away? What if you must cut yourself off from the internet and your beloved coworkers for a few days?
Whether you’re taking a well-deserved vacation, going on maternity or sick leave, celebrating the holidays, attending a work conference, or taking time off for any other reason, you need to communicate your absence with anyone who may try to reach you.
Table of Contents
- Why You Need an Out-Office Message
- What to Include in Your Out-of-Office Message
- How to Communicate Boundaries in Your Out-of-Office Message
- 7 Out-of-Office Email Templates That Set Professional Boundaries
Why You Need an Out-Office Message
Before you head out of the office (or walk away from your WFH setup), it’s important to create an out-of-office (OOO) message.
An OOO message is an automatic reply to any email sent to your inbox during the starting date and end date you select. When someone emails you during that time, a notification is sent back to them right away with your personalized message. This flexibility allows you to step away from work responsibilities and set up professional boundaries when taking time off.
Crafting a clear, concise, and professional out-of-office message serves as proper etiquette and common courtesy to anyone trying to contact you. The automatic email replies tell prospects that you’re unable to respond as quickly as normal while providing specific instructions on how to proceed in the meantime.
Some people will even double up and include a note about their upcoming time off in their email signature to ensure they communicate far in advance.
What to Include in Your Out-of-Office Message
An effective OOO message contains three main components:
- A friendly greeting
- The exact dates you will be away from the office, including your first day and return date
- Who to contact in case of an emergency or urgent matter, including the colleague's name and cell phone number if they've approved it for urgent matters
- An email sign-off
Here are some things to avoid when writing your OOO message:
- Typos
- Providing too many details about your absence
- Promising people that you’ll respond the day you return
How to Communicate Boundaries in Your Out-of-Office Message
To ensure you’re (actually) able to take time off without being distracted by work responsibilities, your OOO message should communicate the specific boundaries you’ve set in place.
If you’re taking a vacation to the beach and looking to go off the (work) grid, be upfront about not checking your email during this time and your lack of email access. And then, follow through with this commitment by not checking your email.
On the other hand, it’s okay if you’re at a work conference and occasionally checking your phone for important and time-sensitive emails. If this is the case, communicate that delays should be expected and provide contact information for very urgent matters.
It’s important to note that even the perfect OOO message can’t guarantee all recipients will respect the boundaries you’ve put in place. For more advice on how to prepare for boundary-breakers at work, refer to this article.
7 Out-of-Office Email Templates That Set Professional Boundaries
We know you're here for the autoresponder email messages and templates, so here they are. Whether you're team Gmail or team Outlook, setting up your office autoresponder email message is fast, easy, and kinda like having your own personal office assistant!
Use these as a starting point and infuse your own details and your voice. And, of course, enjoy your time off! Send us a postcard!
Basic Out-of-Office Template
Hello,
Thank you for your email. I am out of the office until July 29th and will have limited access to email while I’m away. In case of an emergency or urgent matter, please contact [FIRST AND LAST NAME] at [EMAIL ADDRESS OR PHONE NUMBER]. Otherwise, I’ll respond to your message as soon as possible after my return.
Sincerely,
[YOUR NAME]
Thank you for your email. I am out of the office until July 29th and will have limited access to email while I’m away. In case of an emergency or urgent matter, please contact [FIRST AND LAST NAME] at [EMAIL ADDRESS OR PHONE NUMBER]. Otherwise, I’ll respond to your message as soon as possible after my return.
Sincerely,
[YOUR NAME]
Friendly Out-of-Office Template
Hi there!
Thanks for reaching out! I’m currently out of the office until August 2nd celebrating my sister’s wedding. If you need immediate assistance, please feel free to reach out to [FIRST AND LAST NAME] at [EMAIL ADDRESS OR PHONE NUMBER]. Otherwise, I’ll be sure to respond to your message when I get the chance after returning.
In the meantime, have a great week!
Warm regards,
[YOUR NAME]
Thanks for reaching out! I’m currently out of the office until August 2nd celebrating my sister’s wedding. If you need immediate assistance, please feel free to reach out to [FIRST AND LAST NAME] at [EMAIL ADDRESS OR PHONE NUMBER]. Otherwise, I’ll be sure to respond to your message when I get the chance after returning.
In the meantime, have a great week!
Warm regards,
[YOUR NAME]
Vacation Responder Out-of-Office Template
Hi,
Thanks for your message. I’m away on vacation from August 2-10 and plan to disconnect during that time. For urgent matters, please contact [FIRST AND LAST NAME] at [EMAIL ADDRESS OR PHONE NUMBER]. If your message can wait, I’ll be sure to respond as soon as possible once I’m back in the office.
Have a great week,
[YOUR NAME]
Thanks for your message. I’m away on vacation from August 2-10 and plan to disconnect during that time. For urgent matters, please contact [FIRST AND LAST NAME] at [EMAIL ADDRESS OR PHONE NUMBER]. If your message can wait, I’ll be sure to respond as soon as possible once I’m back in the office.
Have a great week,
[YOUR NAME]
Holiday Season Out-of-Office Template
Greetings!
Thank you for your email. I’m currently out of the office until January 5th to celebrate the holidays with my loved ones. If you need immediate assistance, feel free to contact [FIRST AND LAST NAME] at [EMAIL ADDRESS OR PHONE NUMBER].
Happy Holidays!
[YOUR NAME]
Thank you for your email. I’m currently out of the office until January 5th to celebrate the holidays with my loved ones. If you need immediate assistance, feel free to contact [FIRST AND LAST NAME] at [EMAIL ADDRESS OR PHONE NUMBER].
Happy Holidays!
[YOUR NAME]
Parental Leave Out-Of-Office Template
Psst, we have a whole guide on preparing for maternity leave.
Hello,
Thank you for your message. I will be away on maternity leave from April 12th to July 5th. My assistant, [FIRST AND LAST NAME], will be managing my accounts during this time. You can reach her at [EMAIL ADDRESS OR PHONE NUMBER].
Best regards,
[YOUR NAME]
Thank you for your message. I will be away on maternity leave from April 12th to July 5th. My assistant, [FIRST AND LAST NAME], will be managing my accounts during this time. You can reach her at [EMAIL ADDRESS OR PHONE NUMBER].
Best regards,
[YOUR NAME]
Work Conference Out-of-Office Template
Hello,
Thanks for reaching out! I am currently out of the office attending a work conference until July 19th. I will be checking my email periodically, but please contact [FIRST AND LAST NAME] for all urgent matters and requests.
Thank you for your understanding,
[YOUR NAME]
Thanks for reaching out! I am currently out of the office attending a work conference until July 19th. I will be checking my email periodically, but please contact [FIRST AND LAST NAME] for all urgent matters and requests.
Thank you for your understanding,
[YOUR NAME]
Internal Contacts Out-Of-Office Template
Hi team!
I’m out of the office until August 4th and will respond to your email when I return. [FIRST NAME] is helping me out while I’m away. If you need something urgent or have questions, please contact [NAME ABOVE].
Thank you,
[YOUR NAME]
I’m out of the office until August 4th and will respond to your email when I return. [FIRST NAME] is helping me out while I’m away. If you need something urgent or have questions, please contact [NAME ABOVE].
Thank you,
[YOUR NAME]
Last, but certainly not least, set that out-of-office message to go, consider deleting work email from your phone entirely (if only temporarily), and go on!
We hope these office message samples have inspired you to feel confident that you can check out from your inbox (maybe social media too) and enjoy your time away from a screen!
