How to create an out-of-office message for email: tips and tricks

Are you going on holiday? Or are you (temporarily) unavailable via email? Whatever the reason, you must inform your contacts via an out-of-office message. This article contains valuable tips and tricks for writing a compelling out-of-office message. We also give you 7 out-of-office templates you can use for your email.

What is an out-of-office message?

An out-of-office message is an automatic email your email client sends to the senders of incoming emails. With an out-of-office message, you inform everyone of your absence because of a holiday, business trip, illness, et cetera.

Why is an out-of-office message important?

An out-of-office email message is essential to inform senders of your absence and helps them understand why you take longer to respond to their emails. This avoids misunderstandings and confusion.

Other reasons exist why an out-of-office message is essential:

• Expectations

By indicating you are temporarily unavailable, others know they don’t have to wait for an immediate response.

• Professional look

You show you care about good communication to contribute to your professionalism.

• Alternative

You can offer an alternative by referring to a colleague for urgent matters so your contacts know they can email someone else.

• Satisfaction

You keep your contacts happy by letting them know you will send a reply at a later date.

What does an out-of-office message consist of?

An out-of-office email message consists of 9 times out of 10 the same parts. These parts are the following:

• Subject line

Indicate your absence in the subject line.

• Salutation

You start the out-of-office message with a salutation.

• Notice

Indicate your absence with a date, if necessary. Reading tip: starting an email.

• Reason for absence (optional)

If you wish, you can give the reason for your absence.

• Alternative contact details (optional)

Can the senders reach someone else for urgent matters? Provide an alternative email address. You can put this email address in the cc of the mail.

• Reaction time (optional)

Let me know what your response time is. This does not have to be on the minute but says you will send a response as soon as possible.

• Closure

End the out-of-office message with a friendly closing.

• Contact details

Remember to put your name, contact details and an email signature at the bottom of the email.

How to write an out-of-office email?

A good out-of-office email message has several characteristics. These are them:

• Concise and clear

An out-of-office message is short, clear and scannable. Mention only the most essential information like the absence time and alternative contact details.

• Language use

Use a tone that suits the target audience. Are you addressing a professional audience? Make sure your message is businesslike. Are you targeting young people? An informal style fits better.

• Personal Message

You can add a personal message to your email, such as a thank you.

• Well-functioning

Before you are absent, check that the out-of-office mail is working correctly by sending yourself a test message to ensure it’s working properly.

What shouldn’t you put in an out-of-office message?

If you are going to create an out-of-office message, there are some things you can better not do to come across as unprofessional. Here are some tips:

1. Avoid too many personal details

Keep the message professional, and do not share personal information. It is annoying if you need surgery on your foot, but the information is irrelevant to the sender.

2. Do not use negative language.

Do not use negative language and focus on informing the sender. So a message like “Finally I have my well-deserved holiday after all the complaints” is incorrect.

3. Don’t write too informally.

Avoid informal text such as abbreviations and lots of emoji. A text like ‘Yo dude, I’m off’ is not good.

4. Use correct information.

Before you are absent, check if all the information in the email is correct so you will avoid raising false expectations.

5. Make the email brief.

Stay short, and make the email brief to prevent the sender from dropping out.

7 useful out-of-office message examples

Could you help create an out-of-office email message? Below, we give you 7 out-of-office message examples.

1. A general out-of-office message

Dear [recipient name],

Thank you for your message. From [start date] to [end date], I will be absent (due to [reason for absence]).

For important matters, please contact [name of colleague] at [contact details colleague].

I will respond as soon as I get back. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Sincerely,

[your name]
[your position]

2. An out-of-office message for the holidays

Dear [recipient name],

Thank you for your message. I am on holiday from [start date] to [end date]. Therefore, I do not have access to my email.

For urgent matters, please contact [name of colleague] at [contact details colleague].

I will respond as soon as I get back. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Sincerely,

[your name]
[your position]

3. An out-of-office message for the holidays

Dear [recipient name],

Thank you for your message. With the holidays approaching, I will soon be absent. I will not be available via email from [start date] to [end date].

For important matters, please contact [name of colleague] at [contact details colleague].

I wish you happy holidays in advance! I’ll respond as soon as I get back. Thank you for your understanding and patience.

Sincerely,

[your name]
[your position]

4. An out-of-office message in case of illness

Dear [recipient name],

Thank you for your message. Currently, I am sick and cannot respond to your email.

For urgent matters, please contact [name of colleague] at [contact details colleague].

I hope to be better soon so I can answer your email. Thank you for your understanding and patience.

Sincerely,

[your name]
[your position]

5. An out-of-office message for a standard day off

Dear [recipient name],

Thanks for your message. [Day] is my typical day off. Therefore, I will not be present.

For urgent matters, please contact [name of colleague] at [contact details colleague].

I will reply to your email when I am back. Thank you for your understanding and patience.

Sincerely,

[your name]
[your position]

6. An out-of-office notice for maternity leave

Dear [recipient name],

Thank you for your message. I am on maternity leave from [start date] to [end date]. Therefore, I cannot respond to your email.

For urgent matters, please contact [name of colleague] at [contact details colleague].

I ask for your understanding and patience during this period.

Sincerely,

[your name]
[your position]

7. An out-of-office notice when you leave a company

Dear [recipient name],

Thank you for your message. I want to inform you that I am no longer employed by [company name].

As of now, I cannot answer your emails or provide further support. Therefore, I would like to refer you to my colleague [name of colleague] at [contact details colleague].

I appreciate your understanding.

Sincerely,

[your name]
[your position]

How to put out-of-office on email at one.com

Do you have email hosting from one.com? You can easily enable an absence notification. We have written a helpful guide that tells you how to set up such a message.

In brief

With an out-of-office message, you inform your contacts of your absence. You create expectations and come across as professional if you write a good and clear message. This article will give valuable tips and tricks to create a perfect out-of-office message. We have also provided you with 7 templates of an out-of-office message. Good luck!