‘Tis the season of Love, Merriment, and Relaxation.
Look out of your office window. What do you see? Is it a giant Christmas tree with every candy cane, garland and Christmas ornament hanging from it?
Or is your favorite view from the desk getting covered with a thick layer of snow?
If your view is anything like I mentioned above, then it is time to leave that desk of yours and get your relax mode on!
Woah!
Wait a minute. Not so fast!
Before going, there is one small business affair you need to take care of.
Your Out-of-Office Message!
Don’t worry. We have got it covered. Just be ready with your Ctrl + C and Ctrl + V.
If you are ready to add that Christmasy and festive spirit to your out-of-office email, then this is the perfect place to be.
Here are some of the best out of office messages and autoresponders that we dug out of every corner of the internet.
But before we go on and share these jewels with you, here’s a checklist to follow when writing an OOO messages.
A checklist to follow
- The duration of your leave
- Whom to contact while you are away
- Your return date
If you are in a hurry and don’t want to read every template then here are some shortcuts to navigate you through the
Types of Out of Office messages:
1. Not-so-ordinary Ones
2. Sarcastic and Funniest Ones
3. Actionable Ones
And lastly,
4. Some Professional Ones
Not So-Ordinary Ones
If you opted for this option, then you are in for some real fun. And not just you, these emails autoresponders will add a big smile on someone’s face.
A little humor can never go wrong. But it may or may not work for you. So, keep your judgment cap on when choosing from these out of office templates.
1. For people who love taking risks
Template
Hello,
I’m currently out of the office for the holidays—which means I’m busy either:
1. Trying not to laugh at my [relative’s] corny jokes
2. Attempting to explain my career to my [relative] for the 800th time
3. Getting buzzed on too many mugs of eggnog (hey, can you blame me?)
I’ll return on [date] or after I watch [favorite holiday movie] one too many times (whichever comes first)—and will respond to your message at that time.
If your request is urgent, there’s no use sitting idly in my inbox. So, please send your request to [contact name] at [contact email].
Happy Holidays!
[Your Name/ Signature]
2. Some friendly one
Template 1.
Hello,
Thank you for your email. I’m currently out of the office until [date] to celebrate the holiday with my loved ones—without my phone in front of my face.
I’ll be sure to reply to your message when I wade through my inbox upon my return. If your message is time sensitive, please send an email to [contact name] at [contact email].
Sending wishes for a happy holiday season,
[Your Name/ Signature]
Template 2.
Hello,
Shoot, you just missed me. I wrapped up everything at the office and am off on vacation until [date].
Here’s a snapshot from my last day in the office:
Anyway, if your question or favor can wait, great. If not, do me a favor and forward your email to [email protected] and you’ll be well-treated.
Thanks,
[Your Name/ Signature]
3. Play With Emojis a Bit
Template
Hi,
So here's the thing: I'm not in the office right now. I'm - well, I know you don't want to hear this as you're probably working yourself, but - I'm actually on vacation
⛵️ ? ?? ?⛱ ? > ? ? ? ?
In other news, I will be back at my desk on January 23rd. That'll be a Monday, so give me a second to catch up on all of my emails, and I'll get back to you. If you need someone today and that's it, there's no convincing you otherwise, then please email [email protected]
While we're on the topic of vacation - book your next one, wouldya? Here's a little push: www.kayak.com
Thanks,
[Your Name/ Signature]
Sarcastic and Funny Ones?
Here comes the best of them. This part is my personal favorite.
I dare you to not laugh at these exceptional autoresponders.
Before you scroll ahead, some of them are in the form of images which will make it impossible for you to copy. In those case, you will have to make some more efforts in writing your out of office email.
1. The North Pole Getaway
Template
Thank you for your email! I'll be out of the office for the holiday break, spending time with my family back home in Canada; the weather looks to be fantastic!
Know that IU would probably rather be responding to your email; instead I'll be reliving my childhood "character building" experiences of shoveling the driveway 2-3 times a day(that's me in Kitmat 1989).
If you can't wait for my return, at least feel sorry for me, I'll get back to your email on the 28th, or after I've thawed out.
Regards,
[Your Name/ Signature]
2. I’m a Bot Message
Template
Hello,
This is Jane’s bot. Jane is indisposed and unable to respond to your email. I’m replying to let you know that she will return to her desk on [date].
It is her intent to attend to your request promptly at that time.
Meanwhile, Jane leaves you with the following message. Please ponder its significance:
“I, for one, welcome our new robot overlords.” —Jane
3. The Gif Lover
Template
Hello,
I’m out of the office until [date] without email and WiFi. I’m sure to return tanned and refreshed, at which time I’ll reply to your email cheerfully.
I will not, however, be able to get away with wearing my vacation shirt once I’m back to work. RIP, vacation shirt.
4. The Blunt One
Template
Hello,
I am currently out of the office on vacation. I know I’m supposed to say that I’ll have limited access to email and won’t be able to respond until I return, but that’s not true.
My Phone will be with me, and I can respond if I need to. And I recognize that I’ll probably need to interrupt my vacation from time to time to deal with something urgent. That said, I promised my family that I am going to try to disconnect, get away and enjoy our family function as much as possible.
So, I’m going to experiment with something new. I’m going to leave the decision in your hands:
▪️ If your email truly is urgent and you need a response while I’m on vacation, please resend it to [email protected], and I’ll try to respond to it promptly.
▪️ If you think someone else at Saleshandy might be able to help you, feel free to email my colleague, Dhruv, and he’ll try to point you in the right direction.
Otherwise, I’ll respond when I return…
Warm regards,
[Your Name/ Signature]
Template
The rumour is true.
I’m in france for the month – meandering through museums, eating copious Nutella, Banana crepes, and smothering my gorgeous girlfriend with more PDAs than Paris can handle. #TMI #SorryNotSorry
Most out of office replies just sit there and skirt the truth that someone is having fun while you are sending an email. I accept the disappointment that you can’t reach me – compounded by the fact that you sloghtly hate me for pointing out the obvious. But consider this: in no time at all i’ll be reading your ooo reply and getting all jelly myself. Circle of life baby.
Now, if your email does in fact require immediate attention, please fwd your initial email (and cc me) to the appropriate rockstar on my team – they should be able to help.
– Niti Shah – Content & campaigns (… and lord of the rings triva)
– Lauren Pedigo – Fields & events (… and how to make the best homemade dip)
– Shohei Toguri – Japan Marketing (… and crossfit WOD technique tips)
Otherwise, I’ll get back to you the week of Jan 10.
Regards,
{Your Name}
6. The Sneak Preview
Template
Aloha!
I'm sorry to have missed you. Kind of.
As you may have guessed, I'm not in the office right now. Instead, I'm probably hiking to the peak of an inactive volcano, stuffing my face with the best sushi east of Japan, or sipping on a Mai Tai without a care in the world.
As I said - I'm sorry to have missed you. But, not really.
...unless you're emailing me about something important. Fear not - we'll get your message addressed. Try doing one of two things:
1. Send me an email at [email protected]. (Note - that's not a real email address, so you'll probably miss me there, too).
2. Ping my fabulous editor, Carly Stec, who happens to rock a houndstooth peacoat like no one else I've seen.
As long as we're being honest, I'm probably going to delete any email that I received while I was gone. So, I request that you please - pretty please - message me again after December 27. By then, I will have overcome the hurdle of my macadamia nut addiction, and will be in a clear mind to answer you.
Mahalo and happy holidays,
Amanda
7. Twitter Game On
8. The Totally Unreachable Entertainer
Template
Greetings from Playa.
I’m currently lost in the Nevada desert burning a giant effigy with near zero access to phone or email from August 26 to September 3.If it’s super important then you are welcome to parachute Black Rock City and locate me between 3:15 & G (see map below). Otherwise contact:
[email protected] for Content/Press
[email protected] for website/digital
[email protected] for technical issues
Regards and Namaste,
Roma
Actionable Ones
This section is for the people who don’t really want to take a vacation. They want to make the best of their vacation and make their OOO emails work for them.
So, here we are presenting some of the best out of office messages that will make your readers to take instant actions.
1. Social Booster
Template
Hey, there!
I’m out of the office this week, but my Twitter signal is always on. Seriously, I’ve got robotic wonder thumbs! (No, not really.) I never fail to tweet fascinating stories about how people can win big with their marketing efforts. So, until I’m back at my desk, won’t you follow me [link]?
Whether you follow me or not, I’ll get back to you as soon as I can upon returning to my desk on July 17.
Thanks,
[Your Name/ Signature]
2. The Networking opportunity
Template
Greetings!
I’m out of the office July 24-28 attending the Epic Professional Conference. Are you there, too? You’ll find me walking the floors with a Starbucks coffee in my hand, comfy kicks on my sore feet, and a bag full of brochures and swag. (I hope someone’s giving away those light-up bouncy balls again this year. I burned mine out.)
If you’re at the conference, I’d love to meet up to chat about your email marketing strategies. Feel free to text me at [number] so we can connect.
Thanks,
[Your Name/ Signature]
3. Content Distribution Strategy
Template
Hello!
Thanks for getting in touch. I’m out of the office until August 5 with limited access to email. But never fear! I’ve left you with some helpful productivity tips to read and share.
▪️ How to Ensure Email Delivery in Primary Inbox
▪️ 11 Gmail Shortcuts To Save Time And Increase Productivity
▪️ Productivity Tools: 30+ Best tools to give a jumpstart to your business
I’m looking forward to connecting with you when I return.
Thanks,
[Your Name/ Signature]
4. Spread some inspiration
Template
Hello, and thanks for your email!
If you’re getting this message, it means I’m taking my annual two-week creative sabbatical—working on personal projects that inspire me, so that I can return to work full of fresh ideas for my clients, like you!
I’ll respond to your note once I return to the office on [date].
In the meantime, here’s a question: What inspires you? Do that today.
5. While You are Waiting
Template
Thanks for writing!
You can expect a response to your note in 1-2 business days.
While you’re waiting—surprise! Here’s something I made for you:
[Include a worksheet, tool, video, blog post, checklist, resource list, or whatever you’d like!]
I hope [name of thing] makes your day a little brighter and easier.
Thanks for your patience, and talk to you soon!
6. Lead Generation One
Template
Hi, and thanks for writing!
I’m out of the office with no access to email until [date]. If your request is urgent, you can contact [email protected] for assistance. Otherwise, I’ll get back to you as quickly as possible when I return.
While you wait, why not subscribe to our fantastic newsletter? You’ll get actionable tips once per week geared toward helping you grow your online business. Join us here [link].
Some Professional Ones
If you jumped right on to this section, then you are looking for something perfectly crafted without giving away much.
Here are some of the professional ones for you:
1. The traditional ones
Template 1.
Hello,
Thank you for your email. I will be out of the office until [date of return].
If there is a need for an immediate assistance, then feel free to reach out to my colleague [contact name] on [contact email/phone number] who should be able to help.
Otherwise, I will respond to your email as soon as possible upon my return.
Regards,
[Your Name/ Signature]
Template 2.
Hello,
Thank you for your email. I am currently out of the office, with [limited] [no] access to email.
I will be returning on [day, date]. If you need assistance before then, you may reach me at [phone number].
For more pressing issues, please contact [name] at [email] or [telephone number].
Regards,
[Your Name/ Signature]
Template 3.
Hello,
Thank you for your email, I’m currently out of the office until [date].
I’ll reply to your message promptly when I return. But, if you require immediate assistance, please send an email to [contact name] at [contact email] in my absence.
Wishing you and yours a wonderful holiday season,
[Your Name/ Signature]
Template 4.
Hello,
Thank you for your email. I’m currently out of the office until [date] to celebrate the holiday with my loved ones—without my phone in front of my face.
Sending wishes for a happy holiday season,
[Your Name/Signature]
2. The Sneak Peek one
Template
Hello,
Thanks for your email. I’m currently attending [insert event, conference, etc. here], and will return on [date of return].
Feel free to stop by at [location], where I will be speaking about [topic]. Here’s a link to {video, website, article}that’ll tell you more about the event.
For immediate assistance, please contact my colleague [contact name] at [contact email/phone number] who should be able to help. Otherwise, I will respond to your email as soon as possible upon my return.
Regards,
[Your Name/ Signature]
3. The “I am still (sort of) here” one
Template
Hello,
Thanks for your email. I will be out of the office until [date of return].
However, I’ll be checking in whenever I can and will respond to all emails marked ‘urgent’ as soon as I am able to. For immediate assistance, you can contact me on [mobile number].
Regards,
[Your Name/ Signature]
4. Some on the funnier side
Template 1.
Hello,
I’m out of the office until [date].
However, I will be taking period breaks from binge-watching everything I’ve missed to check my email [once per day/every evening/occasionally] while I’m away.
If this matter isn’t time-sensitive, rest assured that I’ll respond when I’m back in the office. But, if this is an urgent request, please resend any messages that require my immediate attention with a subject line of “URGENT: [Original Subject].”
Regards,
[Your Name/ Signature]
Template 2.
Hello,
Thanks for your email. I’m currently out of the office, returning on [date]. I’ll respond to your message then.
While I won’t be quite as far as the North Pole, I will still be completely disconnected from my inbox until my return. So, if you require immediate assistance, please send your email to [contact name] at [contact email].
Best wishes for a happy holiday season,
[Your Name/ Signature]
Do’s and Don’ts while writing an OOO Emails
For the Do’s part refer the must add things in your out of office message in this checklist mention on the top.
Here are the don’ts:
- Don’t forget to check your company’s out of office message policy.
- These policies are usually made in the large organizations. If you are a part of small business/organization, then you don’t have to worry about these policies.
- Think before Writing
- It isn’t necessary that only the acquaintances and co-workers are going to email you.
- Chances are strangers might give a visit to your inbox and for that reasons be careful about the information you are revealing in your out of office message.
- Know your audience
- Write those things only that recipient will take sportingly and not the things that can offend someone. So, for that reasons, it’s necessary to know who all are going to receive this out of office message of yours.
When should you use these out of office emails?
You can use these witty, snarky and professional out of office messages when you are going on a holiday. Doesn’t matter if it’s for a day, a week or a whole month.
Apart from the holiday season, you can use these out of office messages when:
- You are out at a business conference
- You are sick
- Or working remotely
How to set out of office message?
Now, you know everything there is to know about out of office emails and autoresponders but do you know how to set them up?
If you are shaking your head and saying no in your brain then here’s your guide to set out of office message in Outlook and Gmail.
- Out of office Outlook
- Click the cog wheel image
- Select ‘Send Automatic Replies’
- Select the time period
- Use any of the templates mentioned above
- Fill in the other details and press ‘OK.’
- Out of office Gmail
- Click on the gear icon and select ‘Settings’
- Scroll Down
- Stop at ‘Out of Office AutoReply’
- Select the time period
- Use any of the templates mentioned above
- Confirm all the other details and select ‘save changes’
Things to avoid while writing an Out of Office message:
Everything aside, you can easily go a bit over with festive juices flowing in our minds. So, be careful when writing an out of office. Don’t overdo like this guy:
“I am currently out of the office and probably out-of-my-mind drunk. Enjoy your workweek.”
Now, we know it’s festive season which plays tricks with our minds but don’t get too carried away. Only so much humor can be taken sportingly.