"I'm sorry, I'm currently out of the office riding an alpaca named 'Reggie' across South America through the end of this quarter. If you need help while I'm gone, you're out of luck."
By Liz Murphy
When I was "super cool high school" Liz — a rowing, track-running theater nerd — the lead-up to going on holiday break during the school year was always so relaxing, festive, and packed with shenanigans with my friends. Back then, all I had to do was: It was as if I had a one-way ticket on the stress-free express to Vacation Town, population me. Now, it's a little bit of a different story. Going on vacation as an adult with a full-time job is no easy task. Often, you're burdened with the knowledge that you need to double, triple, or quadruple up on whatever work you need to get done ahead of your absence. If your leave is extended or longer than usual — for example, if you're going on parental leave, due to the arrival of a child — you'll also likely have to write up coverage plans for others to take care of your usual duties while you're out. 🔎 Related: Toxic lies we tell ourselves as leaders when we go on vacation Whenever I find myself in these pockets of time, when I'm tirelessly prepping to actually take a break from work, I will always have a flicker of a moment, a split-second where I wonder, "Is all of this extra effort worth it?" Of course, the moment I turn on my out of office reply... ...I know the answer to that self-doubting question is unequivocally yes. Because I'm a total drama queen, however, I just love when I'm able to come up with some fantastic, memorable out of office reply message people will receive while I'm gone. Anyone else feel that way? I'm going to assume yes, if you've landed on this article. Unfortunately, sometimes what I wish I could put as my out of office reply... ...is not what some would consider terribly professional, no matter how accurate or truthful it might be.
...or friendly enough.
So, to help myself out (and you, our beloved audience, by extension), I'm going to share some of my favorite professional, memorable, and (sometimes) super funny out of office reply examples we can all use when we take our next break.
But first...
What should an out office office reply include?
No matter how creative, zippy, plucky, or "Dang, I wish I had thought of that!" your out of office reply is, it will be a total failure if you don't include the following:
- The date you leave will begin
- The exact date you will return
- Expectations about returned correspondence
- Points of contact while you're out (if your office is open while you're out)
- Guidance that the entire office is closed (if everyone is away on holiday)
- Whether or not you will have some or limited access to email (or have zero intent to check your email at all)
Basically, if someone is reaching out to you, you can't sacrifice meeting their expectations for the sake of winning at the out of office message game. If you miss any of these points (as applicable) in your out of office message, you'll increase the risk that someone will bother you while you're out to get a resolution.
1. The standard professional "just the facts, ma'am" out of office message
Subject: Out of office until [DATE]
Hello, everyone —
Thank you so much for reaching out to me. Currently, however, I am out of office from [DATE] until [DATE] [for VACATION/CONFERENCE/etc. - optional] with [limited/no access] to my email. If your matter is not urgent, please know that I will follow-up with you as soon as I return, although my response may be somewhat delayed as I work through my missed messages.
If, on the other hand, you require immediate assistance, please contact [NAME] at [EMAIL ADDRESS] or [PHONE NUMBER]. If you need assistance with [FOCUS AREA] specifically, please contact [NAME] at [EMAIL ADDRESS] or [PHONE NUMBER].
Sincerely,
[YOUR SIGNATURE]
🔎 Related: Should you buy email marketing lists in 2020 and beyond?
2. Professional (but more casual and friendly) out of office message
Subject: Oops! I'm out of office until [DATE]!
Well, hello there!
While I'm so excited to hear from you, you've unfortunately caught me while I'm out of the office [for VACATION/CONFERENCE/etc. - optional], [DATE] to [DATE], with [limited/no access] to my email.
If what you need from me isn't time sensitive, great! I'll get back to you as soon as I return. (Although you can expect a small delay, since I think we all know how time-consuming responding to all missed messages can be.)
Now, if your matter is urgent, don't panic. All you need to do is reach out to [NAME] and [EMAIL ADDRESS] or [PHONE NUMBER] and they'll take care of you.
Look forward to talking soon!
Sincerely,
[YOUR SIGNATURE]
3. Entire office is closed out of office message
Subject: [COMPANY NAME] closed until [DATE]
Hi there,
Thank you so much for contacting me. Currently, our entire office is closed for [REASON], from [DATE] to [DATE]. During this time, [SET COMMUNICATION EXPECTATIONS].
If your matter is not time sensitive, there is no need to take further action. I will return your message as soon as possible, upon my return. If you have an urgent issue, please [PROVIDE CONTACT INFORMATION OR GUIDANCE].
We look forward to assisting you and we return!
Sincerely,
[YOUR SIGNATURE]
4. Extended parental leave out of office message
Subject: Away on parental leave until [DATE]
Hello!
I'm so sorry I missed your message, but it's for good reason — we recently welcomed a new child to our family and I am currently out on extended parental leave from [DATE] until [DATE].
As I learn the joys of being a new parent (running on little to no sleep!), the talented [NAME] will be taking over my duties in my absence. [NAME] can be reached at [EMAIL ADDRESS] or [PHONE NUMBER].
I look forward to reconnecting with you when I return!
Sincerely,
[YOUR SIGNATURE]
5. Promote some of your rockstar content out of office message
Subject: I'm so sorry I missed you!
Why, hello there!
While I'm so excited to chat with you, unfortunately, you have caught me while I'm out of the office. Currently I am away [ON VACATION, FOR CONFERENCE NAME, et.c], from [DATE] to [DATE], with [limited/no access] to my email.
If what you need from me isn't time sensitive, great! I'll get back to you as soon as I return. (Although you can expect a small delay, since I think we all know how time-consuming responding to all missed messages can be.)
Now, if your matter is urgent, don't panic. All you need to do is reach out to [NAME] and [EMAIL ADDRESS] or [PHONE NUMBER] and they'll take care of you.
If my absence has left a [YOUR NAME]-shaped hole in your heart, here are a few of my favorite pieces of content by yours truly to tide you over until I get back:
- [LINK]
- [LINK]
- [LINK]
Look forward to reconnecting when I return!
Sincerely,
[YOUR SIGNATURE]
6. Personal video with an animated thumbnail for an out of office message
One-to-one videos you record with a simple software like Vidyard's free Google Chrome extension are a fantastic, personal addition to an otherwise ho-hum out of office reply.
In fact, for this example, I'll give you a sneak preview of what my upcoming out of office reply email will be:
Subject: Until next year, folks!
Greetings and festive salutations, friends!
I know you were hoping to catch me, but...
(I hope you can forgive the cave-like lighting, I recorded this while burning the ye olde midnight oil to prepare for my vacation.)
Anyway, I'm currently out on holiday through the end of this year. Much like Ahhnold, "I'll be back" bright-eyed and bushy-tailed the first week in January.
In my absence, you can keep up with me through our thrice-weekly email newsletter, THE LATEST, which I will still be writing throughout the break. Also, don't forget to browse our learning center for the latest digital sales and marketing insights. (We publish every day, even on holidays!)
OK, I'd love to stick around and chat, but my egg nog is calling to me. Can't wait to catch up in the new year!
Cheers,
Liz Moorehead
Of course, this is very much in line with my tone and personality, so when you do your video, make your message a personal and authentic reflection of you! (This is a great option if you work in any sort of client-facing or audience-focused capacity.)
🔎 Related: Email marketing mistakes you need to stop making immediately
7. Bad news/good news out of office message
Subject: Oops...
Bad news: I know you were excited to chat, but I am out of office for [REASON] from [DATE] to [DATE], with [SOME, LIMITED, NO] access to email.
Good news: If your matter is urgent, I've still got you covered. All you need to do is reach out to [NAME] and [EMAIL ADDRESS] or [PHONE NUMBER] and they'll take care of you.
Talk to you soon!
Sincerely,
[YOUR SIGNATURE]
8. Lead generating out of office message
Subject: I've got bad news
Hey there!
I know you were hoping to reach me, but I am currently out of office for [REASON] from [DATE] to [DATE], with [SOME, LIMITED, NO] access to email. If you need immediate assistance in my absence, reach out to [NAME] and [EMAIL ADDRESS] or [PHONE NUMBER] and they'll take care of you.
Also, have you heard about our new [NEWSLETTER, CONTENT OFFER, etc.]? I'm so excited because it [SHARE DETAILS ON THE CONTENT PIECE AND WHAT SPECIFIC PROBLEM IT SOLVES FOR, FOR YOUR AUDIENCE]. You'll definitely want to [SIGN UP, DOWNLOAD, OTHER CALL TO ACTION] today. And if you have any questions about it, simply reply to this email, and I'll get back to you as soon as I return.
Sincerely,
[YOUR SIGNATURE]
What's with the subject line? Something like that is more likely to increase open rates if you're looking to generate any leads while you're gone. (You can't covert leads if they don't open your email, right?)
9. Out of office message in pithy haiku form
Subject: Away, I have gone
Away, I have gone
Quite unreachable for now
Vacations are dope
Sincerely,
[YOUR SIGNATURE]
P.S. Poetic urges aside, I will return on [DATE]. You can reach out to [NAME] and [EMAIL ADDRESS] or [PHONE NUMBER] if you need any help before then.
10. Totally honest out of office message with a touching note of humanity
This is a real out of office message our CEO, Bob Ruffolo, used earlier this year. I would be remiss if I didn't share this as an all-star example of an out of office message that is human, authentic, thoughtful, unique, and still checks all of the essential OOO boxes.
Amazing, right?
11. Traffic-driving out of office message
Subject: Uh oh...
Hey there!
I know you were hoping to reach me, but I am currently out of office for [REASON] from [DATE] to [DATE], with [SOME, LIMITED, NO] access to email. If you need immediate assistance in my absence, reach out to [NAME] and [EMAIL ADDRESS] or [PHONE NUMBER] and they'll take care of you.
Since I don't want to leave you empty-handed, however, here is some of our best content and resources for our top [THREE, FIVE, etc.] topics:
- [LINK TO FEED OF BLOG CONTENT ON SPECIFIC TOPIC]
- [LINK TO FEED OF BLOG CONTENT ON SPECIFIC TOPIC]
- [LINK TO FEED OF BLOG CONTENT ON SPECIFIC TOPIC]
- [LINK TO FEED OF BLOG CONTENT ON SPECIFIC TOPIC]
If you have any questions on anything you find above, don't hesitate to reply to this email, and I'll respond as soon as I return.
Sincerely,
[YOUR SIGNATURE]
Much like the lead-generating email, you'll want to get a little more "intriguing" with your subject line to increase click-throughs. Additionally, this tactic will only work if your blog articles are tagged by subject matter.
12. The tumbleweed out of office message
Subject: I'm sorry to report...
...this is the vacant space where my usual response would be, as I'm currently out of the office for [REASON], from [DATE] to [DATE], with [SOME, LIMITED, NO] access to email.
If what you need from me isn't time sensitive, great! I'll get back to you as soon as I return. (Although you can expect a small delay, since I think we all know how time-consuming responding to all missed messages can be.)
Now, if your matter is urgent, don't panic. All you need to do is reach out to [NAME] and [EMAIL ADDRESS] or [PHONE NUMBER] and they'll take care of you.
Look forward to catching up when I return!
Sincerely,
[YOUR SIGNATURE]
🔎 Related: 18 email marketing best practices you need to know for 2021
13. Advice-seeking out of office message
Subject: I may need your help
OK, I need to be honest with you.
You're receiving this message because I am currently out of office for [REASON] from [DATE] to [DATE], with [SOME, LIMITED, NO] access to email.(Don't worry, if you need immediate assistance in my absence, reach out to [NAME] and [EMAIL ADDRESS] or [PHONE NUMBER] and they'll take care of you.)
Still, I know myself. There's a good chance I'll periodically undermine this much-needed break of mine by checking my email when I shouldn't be.
So, if you're feeling so inclined, reply to this email with your favorite tips for staying on vacation while on vacation or for recharging when you're taking a break from work. Hopefully it will inspire me to put down my phone in my weak moments!
Anyway, I look forward to catching up when I get back.
Sincerely,
[YOUR SIGNATURE]
Don't forget to really take a break
In case you're wondering, yes, that last suggestion is something of a cry for help, heh. I am not the best at being on vacation, but I also know I'm not alone. That's why my parting words to you in this article is a strongly-worded reminder that you absolutely must truly unplug once you turn your out of office message active.
While it can be hard to feel like you can truly step away — especially if you have a nagging fear of others realizing they "don't need you" while you're gone — you can only be effective and valuable in your current role if you take your vacations and breaks as seriously as you do your work.
Burnout is considered a genuine medical condition, and this pandemic has not done us any good, in terms of being able to better draw lines between our work lives and our personal ones. Moreover, if you're in a position of leadership, your people are watching — if you demonstrate that "going on vacation" means you're still checking in, still doing work on occasion, and so on, they'll never feel as if they can truly take a break, as well.
So, go on. Take a break. A real one. You've earned it.
FAQs
13 out of office message examples to steal for your next vacation? ›
Currently, our entire office is closed for [REASON], from [DATE] to [DATE]. During this time, [SET COMMUNICATION EXPECTATIONS]. If your matter is not time sensitive, there is no need to take further action. I will return your message as soon as possible, upon my return.
What is an example out of office message for vacation? ›I am currently out of the office on annual leave. I will be returning to the office on [DATE] and will not have access to my emails during this time. If your message is urgent, please contact [CONTACT NAME] on [EMAIL ADDRESS/PHONE NUMBER] who will be able to assist you. Otherwise, I will respond promptly when I return.
What are the best out of office replies for vacation? ›- “Thanks for your email. I'll be out of the office Aug. 8-12. ...
- “I will be away from July 25-29. For urgent matters, you can contact my colleague, Marilyn Morales, at [email and phone number].”
- “Thank you for your email. I am out of the office at this time, and I am not checking email.
- The exact start date and end date.
- Contact information of the person(s) to reach out to for immediate assistance; if you mention multiple point-of-contacts, specify whom to contact for each type of task.
- At times, the reason why you are out of the office.
Basic out-of-office email template
Thank you for your email. I will be out of the office from (day/month) to (day/month) and will have limited access to email. If you have any urgent questions, please contact [Name] at [email] or [phone]. I will do my best to reply to your email as soon as I can.
- On your computer, open Gmail.
- In the top right, click Settings. ...
- Scroll down to the "Vacation responder" section.
- Select Vacation responder on.
- Fill in the date range, subject, and message.
- Under your message, check the box if you only want your contacts to see your vacation reply.
They tell the sender that you are away from your desk and have limited access or no access for a specified period of time. This action lets them know that you will be unable to respond in a timely manner and then guides the recipient in the right direction.
How do I set up a vacation response in Outlook? ›- Select File > Automatic Replies. ...
- In the Automatic Replies box, select Send automatic replies. ...
- On the Inside My Organization tab, type the response that you want to send to teammates or colleagues while you are out of the office. ...
- Select OK to save your settings.
“If there's no clear directive from your boss that you should be responding to emails while you're sitting on the beach, allow yourself to truly have a break. The non-urgent things will either be taken care of by someone else, or will be waiting for you when you get back.
How do I put my Outlook email on vacation? ›- Select File > Automatic Replies. ...
- Select Send automatic replies.
- If you don't want the messages to go out right away, select Only send during this time range.
- Choose the dates and times you'd like to set your automatic reply for.
- Type in a message. ...
- Select OK.
Does out of office mean vacation? ›
What does out of office mean? It means you're on vacation, away from work for a while, traveling, caretaking — doing just about anything that means you won't be able to tend to your emails right away. For short, we call it "OOO." Whoever invented the out-of-office OOO assistant was a genius.
How do you write an auto reply for leave? ›Thank you for your email! I'm currently on leave until [Date] and will reply to your email when I return to the office. If you require immediate assistance, please contact our [Job Title] [Name] at [Email Address]. My apologies for any inconvenience this may have caused.
What is a good automatic email response? ›Automatic replies should be simple and to the point. Avoid adding any information to the email that is unnecessary. Saying you will respond as soon as you return. It can take time to catch up on emails, phone calls and projects when you return to the office.
How do you write a vacation trip? ›- Save Mementos From Your Summer. ...
- Write an Outline Before Writing Your Essay. ...
- Be Specific. ...
- Focus on Feelings About Your Trip, Not What You Did. ...
- Stick to Writing About a Small Moment. ...
- Edit Your Essay Carefully.
In Outlook, choose File>Automatic Replies (Out of Office). In the Automatic Replies box, select Send automatic replies. Choose Only send during this time range to specify when your out-of-office message should be sent. If you don't set a time period, automatic replies will continue to be sent until disabled manually.
How do you put an out of office message on a team? ›Go to your profile picture at the top of Teams and select Set status message. Select Schedule out of office at the bottom of the options. From the screen that appears, turn on the toggle next to Turn on automatic replies. Type an out of office message in the text box.
How do you respond to an out of office email? ›I will be out of the office starting (Starting Date) through (End Date) returning(Date of Return). If you need immediate assistance during my absence, please contact (Contacts Name) at (Contacts Email Address). Otherwise I will respond to your emails as soon as possible upon my return. Thank you for your message.
How do you tell you need a vacation from work? ›- You're Constantly Feeling Negative. ...
- Your Stress is Sky High. ...
- Work Rules Your Life. ...
- You're Nursing a Broken Heart. ...
- You're Using Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms. ...
- Small Problems are Difficult to Overcome. ...
- You've Been Craving a Moment of Silence. ...
- Quality Time Hasn't Been Happening.
Can an employer ask me why I want time off? Employers can ask why an employee is asking for time off. In fact, that question is pretty common on a standard Time Off Request or when requesting an extended Leave of Absence.
How do you respond to summer vacation out of office? ›I am away from the office and from my email until [return date]. If you need immediate assistance on any projects/requests, please contact [coworker/manager] at [email/phone number] and they will be able to help you. All other messages will be returned upon my return.
How can you share your availability with email senders while you are on vacation Outlook? ›
While composing a new email, or replying to an existing email conversation, tap the Calendar button above the keyboard. From the menu that appears, select Send Availability.
How to set out of office status in Outlook without auto reply? ›Turn off automatic out-of-office replies
When Outlook is setup to send automatic replies, you'll see a message under the ribbon with this information. Select Turn off to disable automatic out-of-office replies.
- I am currently out of office. Thank you for your patience, and I will get back to you soon.
- I am out of the office. I will respond to your messages upon my return.
- I am out of the office until (date/time).
- Thank you for your message. ...
- Thanks for getting in touch! ...
- (Name) is out of office.
Good subject lines are often personal or descriptive, and give people a reason to check out your content. Whatever your approach, it's important to keep your audience in mind, and test different words and phrases to see what they prefer.
Is it out for a vacation or on a vacation? ›'On a vacation' is used more commonly than 'for a vacation'. One very minor difference between the two phrases, which does not apply in this case is : 1/ If I said, "I am going to Spain on my vacation", there is a possibility that I may also go somewhere else as well.
What is the acronym for vacation? ›Vac is an abbreviation for ' vacation'.
What is an example of an automatic reply holiday? ›I'm out of the office for the holidays from [date] until [date]. I'll reply to your email as soon as I can upon my return. If your message is urgent, please contact [insert name /email/phone here].
How do you reply to an automatic email for holiday examples? ›Thank you for your email, I'm currently offline until [date]. I'll reply to your message promptly when I return. But if you require immediate assistance, please send an email to [Contact Name] at [contact email] in my absence.
How do you reply automatically to holidays? ›I wanted to wish you a happy holiday season and remind you that I am currently out of the office. I will only reply to emails marked as URGENT. I will respond to all other emails after I return.
Which is the example of automated messages? ›General Auto-Reply Texts
Thank you for reaching out to [Business Name]. We have received your message and will be in touch within [Time Frame]. Hi there! We just wanted to let you know we received your message and will be in touch before our offices close at [Closing Time].
How do I set up automatic best regards in email? ›
- On the Message tab, in the Include group, click Signature, and then click Signatures.
- Under Choose default signature, in the E-mail account list, click an email account with which you want to associate the signature.
A response email is simply an email to reply to another email. In business, this is the type of email you will have to write every day. This could be a meeting confirmation email, approving an application email, inquiry response email, declining an invitation or contract email, acknowledgment email, etc.
What should be the out of office message in teams? ›Go to your profile picture at the top of Teams and select Set status message. Select Schedule out of office at the bottom of the options. From the screen that appears, turn on the toggle next to Turn on automatic replies.
What is a good out of office message for training? ›I am currently attending a training session. As a result, my reply might take a bit longer than usual. I apologize for that. I will be able to respond in a timelier manner starting from {Date}.
How do you say I will be checking emails periodically? ›Thank you for your email. I am out of the office from [date and time] and I will be back on [date and time]. If you have an inquiry (urgent or non-urgent), please contact [email/phone]. I will be checking my email periodically but I will only be responding to the most urgent inquiries while I am away.
How do you write an auto reply email for holidays? ›Hello, Thank you for your email, I'm currently offline until [date]. I'll reply to your message promptly when I return. But if you require immediate assistance, please send an email to [Contact Name] at [contact email] in my absence.
How do you write a out of office message for part time? ›I am currently out of the office and will be unable to respond to your email. I will be back in the office tomorrow (1/01/2020) and will respond upon my return. Please direct any urgent enquiries to my colleague (name) and they will be able to assist you.