How to Write an Effective Out of Office Message

15 Out-of-office message examples

Here are some OOO messages you can consider based on type:

• Basic
• Funny
• Internal
• Vacation
• Conference
• Short term
• Out of reach
• Out of office but checking emails
• Holiday
• Maternity or paternity leave
• Medical leave
• Promotion
• Lead-generation
• Social media
• Contact sharing

1. Basic

A short and professional OOO message is often all you need to communicate the main details about your absence.

Hello,

Thank you for your message. I am out of the office until May 25 and will have limited email access while I am away. If you need immediate assistance, please contact our advertising representative, Gabriela Martinez, at [email protected] or 303-555-1059, ext. 4. Otherwise, I will respond to your email when I return.

Sincerely,

Peyton KimAdvertising Executive

2. Funny

Consider a friendly or even funny out-of-office message if this is something that aligns with your company culture.

Hello!!

I’m currently OOO right now as I’m swimming and surfing in sunny California. One thing I’m not doing, however, is reading or responding to emails. If you need immediate assistance, please contact Jerry Fielding at [email address]. Otherwise, I’ll respond to your email when I’m back in New York on April 15.

Have a great day!

Marla KovatchSocial Media Coordinator

3. Internal

If you are setting up an OOO message for internal contacts within your company or department only, you might provide information specific to the projects you are working on. You might also be able to use a less formal tone depending on your company’s culture.

Hi there,

I’m out of the office until Jan. 9 and will respond to emails when I return. If you need to access the blueprints for the Apex Architecture project, I’ve placed copies on the server in the Current Project folder. If you need something urgent, please contact Stephanie.

Thanks,

Javier

Related: Guide to Company Culture

4. Vacation

Telling recipients exactly when you’ll be away so they know when to expect a response or contact someone else.

Hello!

I am away on vacation from April 5–15 and plan to disconnect from email during that time. If your message can wait, I will respond as soon as I return. For urgent matters, please contact HR Coordinator Carl Weedin at [email protected] or 946-555-6319.

Sincerely,

Brianne LeeHuman Resources Manager

Related: How To Draft a Vacation Request Email

5. Conference

If you are going to a business conference, create an out-of-office message that lets other attendees know you are available for networking opportunities. This is also a chance to show people you are dedicated to your professional development.

Hello,

Thanks for your message. I am out of the office attending the annual Association of Engineering Professionals conference in Denver, Colorado. I’ll be checking email periodically, but if you need immediate assistance, please contact my assistant, Darren Liente, at [email protected] or 934-555-1940.

If you’re in Denver this week, too, I’d love to connect! Stop by booth 618, or contact me on my cell at 934-555-1059.

Best, Imani Jackson

Related: The Value of Learning and Development in the Workplace

6. Short term

Professionals expected to check email and communicate constantly might need to set up OOO messages every time they are gone from the office for a couple of hours. This type of message is useful if you need to go to an appointment but will be returning later in the day or if you need to travel to a meeting.

Hi,

Thanks for your message. I will be away from my desk at an appointment from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. today, March 7. I’ll have limited email access, so if you need something urgent, please contact Stacey Moden at [email protected] or 938-555-2819. If your email can wait, I will respond as soon as I’m back in the office.

Thanks,

Mei WangSales Representative

7. Out of reach

Let contacts know if you don’t have access to your email, and provide them with other ways to get help or information.

Hello,

I am out of the office with no email access and will not be able to respond to your message until I return on Sept. 20. Please reach out to Muhammad Habib at [email protected] or 823-555-3827, and he’ll take care of anything you need until then.

Regards,

Ashlee WernerCustomer Service

8. Out of office but checking emails

Some professionals monitor and even respond to emails when they are out of the office. If you plan to check email periodically, let senders know they can expect a response but that it might be delayed.

Hi there,

Thank you for your message. I am away from the office leading a workshop Dec. 1–4. I will be checking email throughout the day and will try to respond to messages promptly (please flag urgent messages as high importance). However, if you need immediate assistance, please contact Johnny Woo at [email protected] or 465-555-1098.

Thank you for your patience,

Daniel Garcia

9. Holiday

Company practices around major holidays vary. While your contacts might not expect you to be in the office on a holiday, let them know how accessible you will be in the days before and after.

Greetings!

Our offices will be closed for the week of Dec. 21 to 25. I will respond to your message when I’m back at my desk Monday, Dec. 28. If you have an emergency, however, you can reach me on my cell at 829-555-1958.

Happy Holidays,

Parker Tan

Related: 25 Ways To Write Your Holiday “Out of Office” Message

10. Maternity or paternity leave

Maternity leave can range from less than 10 weeks to six months or more depending on where you live and work. You need to direct people to the employee who takes over your responsibilities.

Hello,

I will be away on maternity leave from Feb. 24 to May 18. Our talented lead graphic designer, Patrick Heiner, will be managing my accounts during this time. You can reach him at [email protected] or 958-555-8265.

Regards,

Alex BackerArt Director

11. Medical leave

If you are undergoing a procedure or experiencing an illness that requires a long treatment or recovery, you might want to add this detail to your out-of-the-office message so your contacts respect your privacy and time while you heal.

Hello,

Thank you for your message. I am out of the office on medical leave from March 2 to 27. I will be checking email periodically, but please contact Amy Dunn ([email protected], 395-555-9981) for all your consulting needs during this time.

Thank you for your understanding,

Harper Kiplinger

Related: How To Write a Sick Leave Letter (With Template and Example)

12. Promotion

Marketing and sales professionals might want to promote their content, website, blog or services even while they are away. They might include links to products or resources in their OOO messages.

Hi there,

Thank you for your message. I am out of the office until July 20 and will respond to your email when I return. In the meantime, however, please enjoy a free excerpt from our new e-book “10 Steps to Marketing Success.” If you like what you’re reading, you can purchase and download a complete copy at 10stepstosuccess.com. For urgent matters, please contact our marketing assistant, David Tapper, at [email protected] or 420-555-2933.

Sincerely,

Gabby LopezDigital Brand Manager

13. Lead generation

Let your OOO message generate business leads while you are away. Prompt the sender to sign up for a newsletter, webinar, online course or other business development tool your company uses.

Hello,

Thank you for your email. I am out of the office with limited email access until June 2. If you need assistance before I return, please contact Marley Beck at [email protected] or 932-555-6756.

Did you know that we host a monthly webinar on timely health topics? Every second Tuesday of the month, our esteemed experts answer questions from a live online audience. To submit your question or sign up for our upcoming webinar on preventive care, click here.

Regards,

Esther LeoneDigital Health Editor

14. Social media

Use your OOO message to grow your personal or company social media audiences by asking contacts to follow you on one or more accounts.

Hi there,

Thanks for reaching out! I’m away from the office and will respond to emails when I return on Nov. 15. To stay up to date with all the exciting developments at Red Letter while I’m gone, follow us on all the major social media platforms. For immediate assistance, you can contact my colleague, Jen Price, at [email protected].

Have a great day,

Danny WattsPublisher

Related: 10 Types of Social Media To Promote Your Brand

15. Contact sharing

People who manage many projects or expect to receive a lot of emails while they are gone might want to include a variety of colleagues for senders to contact.

Hello,

I will be on vacation from Feb. 14–21 with little to no email access. If you need assistance with your taxes while I’m away, please contact my associate, Jean White, at [email protected] or 302-555-0193. For auditing matters, please contact our senior auditor, Max Kim, at [email protected]. If you need copies of financial documents, please call my assistant, Corey Hernandez, at 881-555-3012.

Otherwise, I will respond to your message promptly when I return.

Regards,