It’s decided: You can no longer come into the office without coughing up a storm or falling asleep while standing up (who would’ve thought that’s possible?). Therefore, you’re going to take a sick day.
Thank goodness! Because honestly, nobody wants to be around a sick person. (And it’s very possible your company insists you take the day off anyways if, for example, you have COVID).
Before you log out for several hours—and after you’ve squared everything away with your team and emailed your boss—make sure to set your out-of-office message.
Why, you ask? For one thing, it’s probably a random weekday, so people are expecting you to respond to them—and when you don’t, they may either get upset or annoyed. And, if you work with clients and your job requires you to be on call, suddenly going MIA could hurt business.
Luckily, setting this up is super simple—and even simpler because we’ve written you the perfect templates!
What is an out-of-office message?
An out-of-office message is an automated note that goes out in response to any message you receive while it’s turned on (or, if you prefer, to select people in your contact list). The gist is to signify that the person won’t get a response right away because of some delay on your end, whether you’re sick, at an appointment, on a business trip, or taking vacation or leave.
It also often tells the person when you will see and respond to their message, to quell any fears their request is lost or forgotten, as well as sometimes gives them an outlet to send their note elsewhere. Finally, it’s just a professional way to show your coworkers, managers, clients, customers, and any other relevant parties that you’re on top of your time away and put barriers in place for emergencies.
You can set it up in Gmail in no time by following these directions, or if you use Microsoft Outlook, check out these steps. Out-of-office messages are also an option for internal communication tools like Slack. Here’s how to set it up there.
When do you use an out-of-office message?
An out-of-office message can be useful in more situations than you can imagine. Obviously, it’s highly recommended, if not required, when you’re on some short or long-term approved leave. But it’s also a good idea if you’re going to be away from your desk for longer than a typical lunch break, doctor appointment, or coffee outing—think three or more hours.
For example, maybe you’re summoned for jury duty and can’t tell if you’ll be done in an hour or three days. Or, maybe a technician is at your house fixing the WiFi and it’s unclear when you’ll be back online. You can always remove an out-of-office message when you return to your workspace, but you can’t always remove the stress that comes with 100+ unanswered emails—so better to be proactive.
If you work in an industry where you’re required or expected to be online after hours or on weekends or holidays, an out-of-office message can come in handy when for whatever reason you can’t be available during these times—or your shift is being covered by someone else clients or customers aren’t familiar with.
What do you write in an out-of-office message?
A good out-of-office message should include the following:
- A greeting: Just as you’d start an email with “Hi,” “Hope all is well,” or “Thanks for getting back to me,” a greeting or introduction allows you to inject your familiar personality, ease the person into your message, and prove you’re inbox hasn’t been replaced with a robot.
- A reason/explanation for being away: You don’t have to get detailed here—no one needs to know just how much snot is dripping out of your nose at the moment. But if you’re comfortable, it’s worth sharing the reason this person is receiving this out-of-office message to avoid confusion. A simple “I’m not feeling well” or “I’m away from my computer at the moment” works.
- An alternative contact: Sometimes, the person just has to wait for you, and that’s perfectly OK. But if you can, try to give them another avenue to try. You’ll be grateful when you come back and half your requests have been fulfilled already. Be specific—explain who this other person (or email address) is and what specific questions or tasks they can answer to.
- A closing: End on a high note and again, show your clients, customers, and teammates that shining charisma.
If you’re feeling extra adventurous, you can add to your out-of-office:
- FAQs: Skip passing them to another teammate and try to answer any/all questions with a short FAQ section that puts the onus back in their hands.
- Stuff to pass the time: Maybe it’s a link to your articles, company website, or client FAQ page. This is a fun and professional way to personalize your message and keep the emailer coming back when you return.
- Pictures, GIFs, or anecdotes: If you're down with the flu, crafting an especially creative message might be the last thing on your mind. So, you could save this one for brighter days. Maybe you’re on your honeymoon and your coworkers have been dying to see wedding shots. Or maybe you want clients to know exactly how offline you are during your maternity leave with a video of your newborn. Be responsible with this route, but in the right setting, it might be received well. After all, you’re a human with a life outside work—embrace it!
What should you avoid in an out-of-office message?
In terms of what to avoid writing in your out-of-office, it’s key to know your audience. A GIF may be funny or endearing if you work at a casual startup or only receive emails from close colleagues, but may come off unprofessional—and put you on your boss’ bad side—if you communicate with external parties. And for obvious reasons, you should never go into detail about the symptoms of your stomach flu or the gruesome nature of your back surgery.
Most importantly, avoid writing something long or hard to read (think: simple fonts and colors). The goal is to just notify the person of your absence, not solve all your company’s problems while you’re away—that doesn’t require more than a couple short paragraphs.
Sick out-of-office message: Examples
Ready to get started? Here are two handy templates to write an out-of-office sick message.
Template #1 You won’t be responding to email
For most scenarios, you’re probably not going to be responding to any emails—for a day, for several days, for months—out of necessity or lack of computer access.
After you’ve confirmed with your boss and/or HR that this is acceptable (and yes, you need their sign-off), this is the best template for conveying that message:
Hi,
Thank you for your message. I’m out sick for the day, and in the hopes of recovering quickly (and getting back to my inbox!) I won’t be responding to email.
If it’s urgent, please reach out to [Co-worker’s/Boss’ Name] at [co-worker’s/boss’ email].
Stay healthy!
[Your Name]
Example
How does this look with a personalized spin? See below for a sample out-of-office message for when you’re sick:
Hi there,
Thank you for your message! I’m out sick for the day, and in order to fully recover and get back to business quickly, I won’t be responding to email.
If your email is urgent, please feel free to reach out to my colleague Jennifer Funk, who also handles Northeastern sales for my team, at jfunk@gmail.com. Otherwise, I’ll get back to you as soon as possible upon my return!
Have a great rest of your day,
Lucas Strider
Template #2 You’ll be responding to email, but at a slower pace
Let’s say you’re able to respond to urgent or important emails (and your boss gave you the go-ahead), just at a slower pace than usual. This message should do the trick:
Hi,
Thank you for your email. I’m out sick for the day, and while I will be checking my inbox, I may be slower to respond than usual.
If it’s urgent, please respond with “URGENT” in the subject line and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.
Thank you for your patience!
[Your Name]
Example
Now let’s put this template to practice—for example:
Hello!
Thank you for reaching out. I’m feeling under the weather today and working from home, so while I will be checking email, I may be slower to respond than usual. I appreciate your patience as I sift through my inbox!
If you need an urgent response, please include “URGENT” in your subject line and I’ll be sure to prioritize it. Or, you can contact my manager, Bryan Tilstein, at bryan.tilstein@outlook.com (please specify you contacted me first and why your message is urgent).
Thank you!
Yolanda Cole
How to write an out-of-office message for a holiday, vacation, or other situation
Not sick but still need an out-of-office template? Check out our tips and tricks for writing your message for other needs:
Your out-of-office message is all set—now crawl into bed, eat some soup, and get better! Your colleagues will thank you.