A specific time for your colleague’s response.

Simply state that you will answer the email as soon as possible after you’re back. Unless you’re absolutely certain you’re going to reply the day of your return, don’t promise you will. Avoid confusion and maintain professionalism by not including:

Informs the sender who to contact for urgent requestsĪn out-of-office message is meant to manage expectations, so be sure you don’t create new ones.

Provides an estimated date the sender can expect a response.

Advises if you’re accessing email during your absence.

States the reason you’re absent (optional).

Keep your message polite and concise.Īn effective out-of-office message typically:

Like any organizational communication, OOO messages reflect on your company’s brand. Should copies of your emails be forwarded to a colleague for example, during an extended leave?.Who can handle urgent requests while you’re away?.Are you checking emails periodically or not at all?.

How to proceed if their inquiry is time-sensitiveīefore you set up your OOO message, decide how your emails are going to be handled during your absence so you can include the appropriate information in your message.There’s going to be some lag time in your response.It puts senders at ease and lets them know: Another study found that 50% of email replies are usually sent within two hours.Īn OOO message is a useful way to manage these expectations when you know you can’t check your email regularly.

In one survey, nearly 28% of respondents in the United States expected a reply to an email within an hour. Most people expect a swift response to emails. Why do you need an out-of-office message? Office closures for holidays or team-building events.Most professionals create an OOO message when they’re away from work and unable to check email due to: They’re sent as a response when an email arrives in your inbox. Out-of-office (OOO) messages are automatically generated replies.

Out of office outlook