How to write the perfect out-of-office message 

If someone emails you with a request or question and receives an OOO back, they’ll most likely skim your message to look for one thing only: What do I do now? 

Chances are, they’re working against the clock – so help them out by crafting a clear, thoughtful message that will:

• Prevent follow-up emails
• Direct people to the right colleague
• Stop your teammates from being swamped
• Preserve your sanity when you return

A vague or confusing out-of-office message is the email equivalent of a shrug. By following a few of simple tips, you can avoid unnecessary work for others and make your return to work a smoother experience.

The essentials include:

• Your dates away
• If you’re checking email (and how often)
• Who to contact in your absence
• What will happen to incoming messages
• Links to frequently requested info (especially for service roles - think payroll calendars, FAQs, onboarding pages)

Avoid:

• Oversharing personal details (“I’m away for my cousin Amy’s wedding in Bali!”)
• Internal processes or workarounds in public-facing messages
• Excessive humour that might not translate
• Promising availability you won’t (and shouldn’t) maintain

When done well, an out-of-office message reassures the reader with clarity and warmth, making it clear help is available even while you’re away.

External and internal audiences have very different expectations, and a single out-of-office message rarely meets both. Outlook’s Automatic Replies let you tailor responses so clarity and continuity aren’t lost while you’re away.

Your audience here could include clients, candidates, vendors, partners … and spammers. For these types of messages, it’s best to keep it simple, safe and professional.

Your external OOO should:

• Be concise
• Avoid exposing too much internal information
• Provide a single point of contact (optional)

Example: 

When deciding whether to include a colleague’s email address in your out-of-office message, consider both your audience and the nature of your work. If your role involves urgent action or genuine business needs (such as live projects, candidates, clients or upcoming deadlines) provide a single nominated contact (with their prior approval). If not, you can direct enquiries to a shared team mailbox.

Example:

If you receive a high volume of spam or sales emails, avoid listing multiple colleagues, as this can inadvertently expose them to unwanted mailing lists and unnecessary inbox noise.

A strong internal OOO prevents blockers and keeps the team running, so your colleagues will need more than just dates – they’ll also need some context.

Useful details to include:

• Who (if anyone) will be covering specific tasks/projects
• Directions to where key files live
• Escalation rules (when and who)
• What can wait until you’re back

Your internal OOO for annual leave should feel different to one for parental leave, training, sick days or public holidays. A few quick rules:

• Annual leave: Warm, simple, upbeat

Example:

• Sick leave: Brief, neutral, no unnecessary detail

Example:

• Training or events: Mention what you're attending – most people actually like knowing

Example:

Internal OOO’s can also be friendlier, more human and slightly more detailed. Your team will appreciate the clarity.

Are you managing multiple projects and teams and want to leave specific directives in your autoreply? Or need to be notified of an important email from a client while you’re in a three-day workshop?

One of the most overlooked features of Outlook is Automatic Reply Rules, which let you:

• Send different OOO messages to different groups
• Forward specific types of requests to different colleagues
• File or flag incoming messages
• Auto-move spammy content into a folder
• Trigger specific alerts for critical emails

This is especially powerful if you manage sensitive clients, service desks or high-volume inboxes – you can essentially build an OOO triage system while you’re away.

Maybe. It really depends on your profession, your personality and the tone of the organisation you work for. There’s a delicate art to getting this right.

Pros of being playful:

• It feels human
• It’s memorable
• It can brighten someone’s day

Cons:

• Jokes don’t always land across cultures or industries
• Some clients may perceive it as unprofessional
• If it doesn’t match your usual demeanour it could feel fake
• Never, ever joke about emergencies, compliance, or finance

Example:

If humour is natural for you, go for it. If not, stick with clarity. The goal is to be memorable, not confusing. And yes, someone will inevitably ask…

This is disputed territory. Different people swear by different rules:

• End of the day before you return (so people know you’re back soon)
• 8:59am on the morning you return (so no one expects replies before you’ve even logged in)
• Mid-morning (giving you time to clear the overnight chaos quietly)

There’s no universal right answer. Just pick the one that protects your sanity and is consistent with your team’s norms.

Let’s be honest for a sec:

• Saying you have “limited access to email” when you clearly mean “I’m not reading anything until I’m back”
• Not naming an alternate contact
• Naming six alternate contacts
• Including personal travel plans (it’s not a postcard)
• Writing a three-paragraph monologue
• Leaving your autoresponder on for 48 hours after you’ve returned
• Using “Sent from my iPhone” like it’s still 2011
• If people have to scroll down to read it all, your OOO is too long