Why your “out of office” message matters

By Brian Maynor

 

As Labor Day approaches, vacation season may be coming to a close, but that doesn’t mean we are going to be chained to our desks until next summer.

Life can call us out of the office at a moment’s notice, and thankfully our email has a very handy and easy to use “out of office” (OOO) auto reply.  However, not every is a fan of using and OOO and others have we never really thought about what the message says, and how important it is to the people reading it.

OOO notices not only alert people to the fact that we are away from our desks for an extended period of time, it also set boundaries and expectations on what to expect in our absence.

Instead of playing it safe with the standard: “I’ll be out of the office until x date, and please contact y person if you need immediate assistance.”  Research has found that crafting a more personal note can actually help build stronger relationships with the readers.

This personalization doesn’t have to be long, detailed or complicated.  In fact, it can be just one additional line to the standard OOO message.

Here are some tips on what to add to our next OOO, and why it matters:

1.   Why are you out of the office?  Sharing the reason for our absence not only belies fear of being seen as a slacker, it can also be a conversation started when we return.  It can be as simple as what we’re hoping to learn at a conference to help our clients better, or where we’re going on vacation and one thing we’re looking forward to.  Again, the key is to keep is short and concise.

2.    Offer a preemptive resource.  Aside from referring people to a colleague, OOO also offer an opportunity to share a useful tool while you’re away.  Whether it’s an article related to your industry or simply one on why time away from work is good for the brain and can lead to increased performance.  We know the types of emails we get most often, so predicting the demand while we’re away shouldn’t be too hard.

3.    Customize the settings as well as the message.  Some email programs offer flexibility in how it responds to internal messages as opposed to external ones, while others go a bit farther and allow us to only send the message to people in our address book instead of responding to every email you receive.

Tweaking your OOO in these simple ways will not only lead to better responses to our time away from work, it can help us bridge that post-vacation gap and get back to the grind much quicker and easier.

 

I’m always excited to hear from you, so please email your questions, quandaries and conundrums to [email protected].

 

About Brian Maynor

Brian Maynor has built a reputation as one of the leading style coaches in the Southeast and is quickly expanding his eponymous company, BRIAN MAYNOR and his FIND, FLATTER & FLAUNT line of image consulting services. A professional with a fresh, upbeat and down-to-earth personality and boundless creative energy, he works frequently with with local celebrities; Fortune 500 companies and nonprofit organizations; modeling agencies; fashion designers; production companies; record labels; media and individuals. A regular contributor to various fashion blogs and online communities, Brian Maynor is one of the most trusted and recognized style experts in the region, utilizing his education and training as a broadcast journalist to serve as a style lecturer, emcee, and commentator for over a decade. He has appeared at fashion shows, expos, and charity fundraisers, as well as events with big brands like Banana Republic, Ann Taylor, Chico’s and Macy’s. His approach is innovative, creative and fashion-forward, balancing fresh, modern styles with classic pieces to keep one’s look grounded. To learn more, visit http://www.brianmaynor.com.