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Out of office response tips

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Taking some time off for a holiday or heading out on a work trip? An Out of Office (OOO) message is a must for letting your clients, suppliers, and colleagues know you’re away from your desk.

Writing an Out of Office message might seem pretty easy, but anyone who has sat there with a blank email knows it can be harder than it seems. Should you keep it light, professional, or straight to the point? And what about setting different messages for internal versus external contacts?

We’ve pulled together our tips for crafting the perfect OOO.  No matter why you’re away, this guide has got you covered.

When to Set an Out of Office Email: Use an OOO message anytime you’ll be away from your emails longer than usual and won’t be able to respond promptly. Not sure what is expected in your workplace? Check with your manager or HR, as many companies have policies about when and how to use OOO messages, including what information to include. It’s a good idea to review these guidelines before setting up your auto-reply.

What Makes a Good Out of Office Email? A solid OOO message is brief and to the point, giving the reader all the necessary info in just a few sentences. Some prefer a direct approach, while others like to add a bit of personality or humor. We’ve included some examples of both styles to help you decide how to write your own message.

Five Tips for Writing the Best Out of Office Messages The most effective OOO messages are clear, concise, and professional, yet they still have a personal touch. Here are some tips to help you hit the right balance:

  1. Keep It Clear Your message should be straightforward and easy to understand. Get to the point: your leave dates, expected return date, an alternate contact, and when you’ll be checking your emails again.
  2. Keep It Short Aim to keep your message brief and organised. If you need to include multiple points of contact or other details, consider using bullet points. If it’s not essential, leave it out.
  3. Keep It Friendly Even if you’re away, your OOO message should reflect your professionalism. Double-check your spelling and grammar, and make sure you’re comfortable with anyone receiving your message.
  4. Keep It Human Your message doesn’t have to sound robotic. Be polite, use a friendly tone, and consider addressing recipients by name if your email system allows it. Also, provide an alternate contact in case someone needs assistance before you return.
  5. Keep It Light A touch of humor can make your OOO message more engaging, but use it wisely. Avoid sarcasm, as it can easily be misunderstood. A light-hearted pun or a bit of warmth can add personality without compromising professionalism.

Examples for Different Situations Still not sure what to write? These OOO templates can serve as a starting point. Just remember to personalise them to suit your tone and situation.

Setting an OOO Email for Annual Leave When you’re on annual leave, your OOO message should be clear and concise, letting people know when you’ll be back and who they can contact in your absence.

Template: “Hi there,
I’m currently on annual leave from [Leave-Date] to [Return-Date] and won’t be checking emails during this time. For urgent matters, please contact [Colleague-Name] at [Phone-Number] or [Email-Address]. I’ll get back to you when I return.
Kind regards,
[Your-Name]”

Setting an OOO Email for Business Travel If you’re travelling for work, it’s good to let people know that your email responses might be delayed.

Template: “Hi,
I’m out of the office on a business trip with limited access to email from [Leave-Date] to [Return-Date]. For immediate assistance, please reach out to [Colleague-Name] at [Phone-Number] or [Email-Address] or I’ll reply on my return.
Best regards,
[Your-Name]”

Setting an OOO Email for Medical Leave If you’re on medical leave, your message should be informative but brief, providing an alternate contact for urgent matters.

Template: “Hello,
I’m currently on medical leave from [Date] and unable to access my email. I plan to return on [Date], but in the meantime, [Colleague-Name] is available to assist you. Please contact them at [Phone] or [Email].
Thank you,
[Your-Name]”

Setting an OOO Email for a Family Emergency In the event of a family emergency, your OOO message should be both professional and empathetic, directing people to someone who can help in your absence.

Template: “Hi there,
Due to a family emergency, I’m out of the office from [Date] and will return on [Date]. If you need assistance before then, please contact [Colleague-Name] at [Phone] or [Email].
Thank you,
[Your-Name]”

Setting an OOO Email with some humour – Maybe best kept for internal replies

Template: “Hi there,

I’m currently out of the office, relaxing on a sun lounger sipping coffee/cocktails in [Date]. I’ll be back on [Date], hopefully refreshed and not too sunburned.

In the meantime [Colleague-Name] at [Phone] or [Email] is bravely handling my queries. If your request is not urgent, I’ll get back to you on my return, probably with travel stories to share!

Cheers

[Your-Name]

Best Practices for Out of Office Messages Setting up an OOO message is a small step that can have a big impact on how you’re perceived while you’re away. Here are a few best practices to keep in mind:

  • Set it up in advance: Schedule your OOO message as soon as you know your leave dates, so you don’t forget.
  • Include exact dates, if possible: If you know your return date, include it in your message. Some people extend their OOO timeframe by a day or two to allow for catching up.
  • Provide alternate contacts: Make sure to include a colleague’s contact details for any urgent matters.
  • Different messages for different audiences: If your email system allows, set up separate OOO messages for internal and external contacts, tailoring your tone and information accordingly.

Interview dos and don’ts for employers

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Interviews…a crucial element in the recruitment process. If you don’t make a candidate feel at ease you may not get the best from them and miss an outstanding hire. If you don’t dig deep enough and you may find that the candidate is looking to use your role as a stepping stone to somewhere else.

We’ve lost count of the number of job interviews we’ve undertaken here at Elevate Recruitment. We’ve pulled together a list of our top dos and don’ts of the interview process for employers.

Dos: 

  1. Establish a rapport with the candidate. Make them feel at ease so they are comfortable as they can be during the interview process, you’ll be more likely to see the ‘real’ person to establish if they’re a good fit for your team.
  2. Be positive. Although it is important to be realistic when describing the nature of the role, make sure you’re ‘selling’ the company and promoting the positive things the business has achieved and the great things they can expect as part of the role – whether that be the amazing team they’ll be working with or perks or benefits offered by the company.
  3. Allow a realistic schedule. If you have a number of candidates you’re interviewing for the same role make sure you allow enough time for the interview as well as additional to cover any questions the candidate may have. Also, allow enough time so no one is waiting for another interview to wrap up – each candidate wants to feel special.  If you make them feel like just a number it won’t leave a good impression of your company.
  4. Use open-ended questions. How, what, when, why – for example – Tell me about a time when a project you were working on did not go to plan. What did you learn from this experience? Open-ended questions encourage the candidate to open up and talk, prompting them to go into more detail if necessary. The last part of this question we think is key – everyone makes mistakes, it’s how we learn. You want to know that the candidate has learned from their mistakes and what they do now to avoid making the same mistake over and over.
  5. Use criteria to compare candidates. Decide what the key competencies are prior to a series of interviews. Evaluate your interview notes and if necessary mark candidates on each competency, especially if your interviews are spread out over several days.
  6. Thank candidates for their time. Candidates often have to take time off to attend interviews, some travel long distances, and some put in hours preparing for the interview. Even if they are not successful in getting the role, if you show appreciation for their time and give constructive feedback (if asked for), this will leave them with a positive impression of your company.

Don’ts:

  1. Be unprepared – especially if you are running a series of interviews. To make it easier to compare candidates each candidate should be asked the same (or very similar) question that covers one of your key competencies. Top candidates will see if you’re unprepared and you’ll come across as unprofessional.
  2. Spend more time talking than listening. You are there to find out as much as you can about a candidate in a short space of time. A potential employee wants to leave the interview feeling like they’ve had a great opportunity to present themselves in the best way possible – not leave feeling like they couldn’t get a word in sideways.
  3. Don’t ask unprofessional questions – including about the potential employee’s race, religion, age, marital status and sexual orientation.
  4. Don’t speak negatively about the company or co-workers. You do not want to create doubt in the mind of a potential employee because of something negative said about the company or a co-worker at an interview. Remember top candidates will be in the running for more than one role – they are as much interviewing you as you are them.
  5. Don’t over-promise. Be honest and avoid making false promises on job details in regard to salary expectations, career prospects, employee benefits and other job details as this will leave you in a no-win situation.

We can help you pre-screening, providing you with a short list of candidates that we know can do the role – leaving you to decide which one is the best fit for your company. Not finding the right candidate costs time and money, our goal here at Elevate Recruitment is to make sure you get the right person for your team. We’re so confident in our ability to do this that we offer a candidate guarantee.*

*If your new staff member doesn’t work out for any reason during the agreed timeframe, we’ll find a replacement at no extra charge. Ts and Cs apply. Contact sean@elevaterecruit.com.au for more details. 

Why use a recruitment agency to fill your job vacancy?

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There are many different recruitment agencies or talent acquisition agencies – all offering a variety of services, methods, and fee structures. If you have a job vacancy in your team, you may consider working with an agency to help or you might wonder where you would begin to find the right agency.

Why do I need a recruitment agency?

Recruitment is a time-consuming process and if undertaken by core staff it keeps them from performing their actual job. If the wrong candidate is taken on it can cost the business in multiple ways:

  • Time – already spent on the failed recruitment drive and having to repeat the process
  • Resource – from the people or team who spent time with the failed candidate
  • Success – the people or team may not have performed to expectations while under-resourced

 An ethical recruitment agency has the skills, experience, systems, and knowledge to:

  • effectively find a skilled candidate matching your requirements
  • find them efficiently, saving you time pouring over CVs
  • understand your company’s culture to find a candidate who will ‘fit’ the culture
  • free up your core staff to focus on their core role
  • find you a highly skilled candidate who may not have been actively looking for a new role

Minimise the risk

An important advantage of using a recruitment agency is that reputable agencies offer you security when it comes to retaining the new candidate by offering you a guarantee period. Elevate Recruitment reassures our clients by offering a replacement guarantee period* means if the candidate doesn’t work out or leaves within a set period of time, we’ll offer you a free replacement.

What makes a great recruitment agency?

Clear process – Not all agencies work the same way so it’s important your recruiter takes the time to understand you and your company. They should explain the process step by step so both parties are clear on how it will work and what is expected from each party.

Personable – You should look at your agency as an extension of your team, so your recruiter should be personable, approachable and genuinely interested in your company.

Longevity – Find out how long the agency has been in business and how much experience the recruiter has. Experienced recruiters have had the time to build up long term relationships with clients and candidates – which helps the process flow more smoothly.

Responsive – Ideally you’ll have a dedicated point of contact at the agency and they’ll make time for you, returning calls promptly or replying to emails quickly.

In summary, a great recruitment agency will help you recruit and retain the right candidates faster and, in a cost, effective way and stress-free way.

*Ts and Cs apply please ask us for more details.