A BETTER OUT-OF-OFFICE
Personalizing Your Out-of-Office Replies
I propose ideas to improve the experience of accounting.
Out-of-office replies are tiny messages that say more about our relationship with work than we probably realize.
Most of them fall into familiar categories.
- The Blunt. “I am out of the office and will return Monday.” Efficient. Clear. Almost aggressively unavailable.
- The People-Pleaser. “I am out of the office, but I will be checking email periodically and will respond as soon as possible.” Translation: I am technically away, but please continue expecting me to work.
- The Delegator. “For immediate assistance, please contact…” Useful, especially when the delegation is real and the person listed knows they have been volunteered.
- The Overshare. A detailed itinerary explaining where the person is going, what they are doing, why they are unavailable, and perhaps what they will be eating.
- The Anxious Response. “I have limited access to email.” This often means “I have complete access to email and am trying very hard not to look at it.”
I would like to challenge us to make out-of-office messages more personal and more intentional.
Instead of apologizing for being away, celebrate it. “I’m spending the week with my family and will be back Monday.” Or, “I’m taking a few days to unplug, recharge, and return with more energy.” Or simply, “I’m out doing something I’ve been looking forward to.”
There are at least three reasons I like this.
- Ownership. You are allowed to be away from work. Say it like you believe it.
- Celebration. Time away is part of a sustainable career, not an interruption to one.
- Setting the Tone. Leaders teach people what is acceptable through their own behavior. A confident out-of-office message gives other people permission to disconnect too.
Your out-of-office reply is not going to change the profession. But it can be a small piece of evidence that a healthier relationship with work is possible.
The next time you leave, write a better one.
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