How to Write a Professional Out Of Office Message (With Examples)

Once you’ve entered vacation mode, the last thing on your mind is setting up a professional out of office message. Unfortunately, your coworkers and clients will still be in work mode and will need to get ahold of you.

Establishing an out of office message ensures that they still view you as a seasoned professional and that you have all the information you need in a convenient place when you get back.

Key Takeaways:

• Out of office messages help avoid any confusion and allows you to come back from your trip without any coworkers angry at you for being hard to reach.

• An out of message should include how long you will be gone, when you will return, and any contact information for any emergency.

• These messages don’t need to be super long and detailed, just enough to let anyone know what is going on.

Why Is an Out of the Office Message Important?

Implementing an informative out of office message when you’ll be away for some time benefits your professionalism, productivity, and communication. It explains to your colleagues and clients how long you’ll be away, as well as providing them with any additional information they may need.

Imagine that a co-worker preparing a presentation for the end of the week. They realize that they need some information on a client you handled and call your line to get in touch. You’re on the last few days of your vacation, but never left an out of office message explaining the situation. The co-worker is left waiting for your response without knowing that you won’t be available until after their presentation.

These scenarios occur whether you’re only going to be away from the office for a few hours or a couple of months. An out of office message avoids confusion and allows you to come back from your trip with all the people who tried to contact you conveniently organized in the form of messages.

Reasons for creating an out of office message include:

• Taking a business trip

• Going on vacation

• Going to a doctor’s appointment

• Taking time off to attend a personal event

How to Write an Out of Office Message

No matter the reason or length of your absence, your out of office message should include several key pieces of information.

1. Your reason for being gone. Some people are wary of divulging details of their personal life at work. However, briefly outlining the reason you are away provides the listener with more clarity about the situation. It doesn’t need to be a detailed exposé covering every day of your trip, but just a brief overview of the reason why you’re gone.

2. How long you’ll be gone. The most pertinent piece of information to a caller or emailer who is looking for you is how long it will be until you’re back. State the length of time you’ll be gone plainly.

3. What day you will return. Even though you’ve already stated how long you’ll be gone, giving an exact date helps the contact schedule when they can expect to hear from you into their calendar.

4. A contact in case of emergency. There’s always a chance that a co-worker or client does not have the time to wait for you to get back from a vacation or business trip. For this instance, it’s a good idea to leave an “in case of emergency” contact. That can be an email that will reach you without disrupting your day with a phone call or referring them to someone else who works at your company.

15 Examples Of Out Of Office Messages

1. Basic Out Of Office Voicemail Example

   “Hello, this is the answering machine of John Wells. I’m currently out of the office to attend my sister’s wedding. I’ll be gone for a week, between December 3rd to December 10th. I’ll follow up upon my return. If you are having an emergency, please call me at my personal phone number, (753)-589-6855. Thank you.”

2. Very Short-Term Out of Office Voicemail Example

   “Hello! You’ve reached the messaging system of Hailey Durant. I will be at a doctor’s appointment from 2 pm-5 pm today on December 5th. I won’t be away for more than a couple of hours, but if you urgently need to reach me, please call my secretary Lynn at (389)-957-6322. Thanks and have a great day!”

3. Very Short-Term Out of Office Email Message Example

   “This is an automated message. Thank you for your email. I have received it, but I’m out of the office after 11 am on December 5th to attend a function at my daughter’s school. I will respond as soon as I’m back at my desk tomorrow. However, if this is an emergency, please contact me via cellphone at (740)-632-7499.

   Thanks again,

   Ann Martin”

4. Away For Over A Day Out of Office Voicemail Example

   “Hi, and thanks for calling Timothy Barnes at Mobile Marketing Team. Unfortunately, you’ve reached me at a time when I’m not in the office. I’ll be at a business meeting from December 4th-December 7th and unavailable by email or phone. I’ll be happy to get back to you upon my return. If you cannot wait, please leave me a message on my personal line at (748)-917-5931. Thank you.”

5. Away For Over A Day Out of Office Email Message Example

   “Hello. Your email has been received by Anthony Thomas. He is on a long vacation weekend until December 8th and will not be checking his email. For emergencies, please contact Mr. Thomas’ business partner, Stefan Ryan at SRyan@gmail.com or (858)-748-9222.”

6. Away For A Week Out of Office Voicemail Example

   “Hello, you’ve reached Bethany Smith’s messaging system while I’m away from the office. I’ll be gone for a week between December 7th-14th. However, I’ll be happy to get back to you as soon as I return.

   In the meantime, feel free to leave a message, or if you can’t wait a week, please contact my assistant at BarbaraJones@gmail.com or (382)-493-3823. Have an excellent week, and speak soon.”

7. Generating Leads Out of Office Email Message Example

   “Hello, and welcome!

   I appreciate you reaching out to Aaron Markson at Blake St T-shirt Designs via email. I am away from the office until December 9th; however, if you require assistance before then, please contact my colleague Beth Marina at (384)-593-2858.

   Interested in receiving monthly T-shirt deals to your email? Blake St T-shirt company hosts new deals almost every week that are exclusively available to members. For more information about receiving monthly deals, click here.

   I look forward to speaking soon.

   Sincerely,

   Aaron Markson
   Chief Executive Officer, Blake St T-shirts”

8. Available By Email Only Out of Office Voicemail Example

   “Hello there. You’ve reached the answering system of Erica Kenning. I’m currently away on a business trip and will be unavailable by phone until December 7th. While I will be out of phone service, I can be reached by email at EricaKenning@gmail.com. Please feel free to send me an email, and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible. Thank you!”

9. Directing To Social Media Out of Office Email Message Example

   “Thanks for contacting Rebecca Allen at Pearson’s Organic Products. This is an automatic email. Unfortunately, you’ve reached me when I’m away from my desk for a few days on a personal vacation. I’ll be back by December 8th to answer any questions. If you have any burning questions that need answers immediately, please contact my colleague Brittany. She can be reached at (283)-483-3823.

   Have you checked out Pearson’s Organic Products Instagram page? There you can find details about all our latest products, including our newest reusable tote bag design. Click here to see our Instagram page.

   Best Wishes,

   Rebecca Allen
   Marketing Manager, Pearson Organic Products”

10. Happy Holidays Out of Office Voicemail Example

    “Hello and Happy Holidays! You’ve reached Marcus Long’s messaging system. Our office will be closed for the holidays from December 23rd to January 2nd. I’ll be back to help with anything you need then, but if you’re having an emergency, please contact me via email at MarcusLong@gmail.com, and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible. Thank you, and have a wonderful holiday season!”

11. Personal Day Out of Office Voicemail Example

    “Hello, this is the desk of Alison Beckingham. I will be away for the full day of December 4th for a personal day. I will return to work the following Monday to handle any concerns. Thank you, and see you on Monday.”

12. Vacation Out of Office Voicemail Example

    “Aloha! You’ve reached the messaging system of Ann French; however, she’s on vacation in Hawaii from December 4th-December 14th. Until she’s back, feel free to send any questions, concerns, or comments you have to my co-worker Tim at TimBenjamin@gmail.com. Thank you, and I look forward to speaking when I return from vacation.”

13. Medical Leave Out of Office Voicemail Example

    “Thank you for calling Michael Ronson at the Rhinebeck Dental Group. I will be undergoing knee surgery on December 4th and will be out of the office on medical leave for two weeks after to recover. I will be back to work on December 15th, 2020. If you need to speak with a representative of Rhinebeck Dental Group immediately, please call their reception desk at (484)-595-1833. Someone will be there to take any questions you have.

    Thank you, and have a good few weeks.”

14. Paternity or Maternity Leave Out of Office Message Example

    “Hello, thank you for reaching out to Kayla Berkeley at Sound Psychology Practice. I’m unavailable via phone or email at the moment because my partner and I recently welcomed a newborn baby girl. I’ll be away from work for three months on maternity leave. I am expected to return to my duties at Sound Psychology on February 1st, 2021.

    If you’re experiencing an emergency, please reach out to my colleague at Sound Psychology Mariann at (473)-348-5866 or MariannLexington@gmail.com”

15. Small Business Out of Office Email Message Example

    “Hello! Kindness Cafe has recently received your email and is looking forward to speaking with you further. The cafe will be closed short term for renovations between December 4th to December 14th. Staff will be unavailable until renovations are completed.

    If there’s an urgent matter you need to discuss with the owner of Kindness Cafe, please contact him directly at MaxKing@gmail.com or (575)-777-2383. We look forward to serving you again soon.”

What to Avoid in Out of Office Messages

Out of office messages should remain professional, so here are some common mistakes to avoid:

• Saying you will respond as soon as you return. When you say this, they will expect a response the second you return to the office. It might be difficult to respond to everyone right away if you have a lot of emails and messages to get through. Try to say you will respond as soon as possible after your return.

• Providing too many details. These messages should be simple and right to the point. Your coworkers or clients won’t want to hear every detail of your vacation.

• Committing a coworker’s assistance without them knowing. Don’t say your coworker will help with any urgent matters while you are gone unless you asked them first. They may not be able to take on any extra work and might not appreciate your volunteering them.

Out of Office FAQ

1. What is a good out of office message?

   A good out of office message is:

   Thank you for your email. I’m out of the office on vacation from February 20-February 23, and I’ll be unavailable to answer my email and phone. I’ll be back in the office on February 24, and I’ll respond as quickly as I can. In the meantime, you can reach out to Sarah Smith with any urgent requests at sarah@email.com.

   Thanks,

   David Rawlings

2. How do I say I’m out of office but check my email periodically?

   To say you’re out of office but are checking your email periodically, try something like,

   “Thank you for your email. I’m out of the office for a business conference from Tuesday, January 6, until Friday, January 9. I will be checking my email periodically and will respond as I’m able to, but please contact our main number, 333-444-5555, with any urgent requests.”

References

1. California State University, Monterey Bay – Examples of Out of Office Messages

Author

Sky Ariella

Sky Ariella is a professional freelance writer, originally from New York. She has been featured on websites and online magazines covering topics in career, travel, and lifestyle. She received her BA in psychology from Hunter College.