An out-of-office message (also called an OOO) is often used when an employee will not respond to emails for a certain period of time.
An OOO typically states the reason someone is away, the date they will return and other relevant information.
Since there is no standardised OOO, media have noted how people write messages with varying degrees of humour and personal detail.
Much like a coffee order or star sign, the out-of-office message you set over the holiday period can say a lot about you, writes Sarah Pollok
You’ve cleared your desk of rogue muesli bars, random papers and dirty mugs (or just swept them into your drawers), sent that final email and waved goodbye to your colleagues.
Now, the only thing standing between you and a block of gloriously free summer days is setting your out-of-office email; the message that will automatically ping back at whatever unlucky duck has to work through Christmas and New Year.
So, do you shoot straight or crack a joke? Provide helpful details or a detailed travel itinerary? Whether you need some inspiration or insight, here are the common OOOs we expect to see this summer and what they say about the sender.
The goody two-shoes
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If they haven’t written a LinkedIn blog post about crafting the perfect OOO, you can best bet they’ve read one.
Driven by a hunger to achieve and a constant fear of messing up, these people are the kind who feel nauseous about unexpected calendar invites from their boss and will lose sleep over a misunderstanding with a colleague. They are the steady cogs of the company that keep things ticking over, they instantly have the link for that document you’re looking for and remember Helen is on mat leave until February 3.
After setting the message they’ve written two days beforehand, you’ll find them click-and-collecting the Christmas meal food shop, wrapping other people’s gifts (theirs were done weeks ago) and project managing the summer activities.
If you receive an OOO that appears completely unhinged, as if the employee has nothing to lose by being as banterous as possible, you’ve likely been emailing someone who rocks knitted vests, isn’t on Facebook and wouldn’t be caught dead in skinny jeans (aka, a Gen Z).
The young US workforce served some killer OOOs over their summer with lines like: “On vacation. Hoping to win the lottery and never return,” or “The bad news is that I’m out of office. The good news is that I’m out of office.”
It’s not just employees born between 1997 and 2012 who can send a Gen Z OOO. Simply allow your end-of-year bitterness towards corporate life to be comedically and fully known. Will it earn you an HR meeting in January? Possibly, but that’s a chance you’re willing to take “for the plot”.
The big boss
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If you set this OOO you’re either an executive (probably at a law firm) or just have massive Christmas tree baubles. While the brashness walks the line of rudeness, those who receive it won’t be surprised given your history; you OOO the same way you’ve emailed all year ... ruthlessly direct.
Your holiday destination or plans (a week with the family in Omaha) are superfluous details in your mind. Meanwhile, you aren’t about to promise a date you’ll respond because, well, you might simply forward it to an employee with the directive “Please deal with”.
While you do get points for clarity of communication, you’ve also provided an OOO that is neither helpful nor entertaining.
The pragmatic punisher
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Much like a unicorn, this kind of OOO is so rare and unbelievable, one must see it to truly believe it.
This kind of person is logical to a fault and will happily prioritise efficiency above all else because, on paper, it makes sense. Don’t be mistaken, these people don’t dislike work. Rather, they believe sifting through an avalanche of emails upon returning from holiday is pointless as many issues resolve themselves and truly important information will be re-sent.
They’re the ones who detest waffly meetings and being on CC and while they infuriate us with their analytical approach, we secretly envy their carefree ruthlessness (and inbox zero after a holiday).
The oversharer
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Did you ask why they’re not in the office? No, but you’re gonna hear about it. Bless their heart, this person is the kind who doesn’t let a good story, anecdote or train of thought go unshared in the office kitchen or hallways. They don’t just put in a sick leave request but present a soliloquy about the day they suspect they caught the cold, in terrific detail.
Lovers of a good yarn, you’ve never seen these office uncles and aunties do any real work but you’d all miss them if they were gone. Fortunately, while they’re on holiday you can get daily updates from their family trip as they share watermarked collages to Facebook like it’s 2004.
The baton-passer
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In 2024, this person learned about BOUNDARIES so, while they are still kind-hearted and helpful, they won’t be the one helping you this summer. They’re the kind of person who always leaves the office on time and says “Call me if you need me” despite the fact that no one has their personal number.
They enjoy their job but work to live (not the other way around) and have no time for micromanaging, or being micromanaged. They trust you to do your job, which over the summer may mean dealing with emails because they are ON LEAVE.
The workaholic
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They’ve come far enough to set an OOO for their five days of leave this year (okay, it possibly had something to do with their spouse demanding it). However, they can’t fully relax unless there’s some way to reach them, because, what if an emergency happens?
These folk are either at the tippity-top of the company hierarchy, a middleman with a hearty work ethic and an unfinished project or possibly addicted to feeling “needed” (but we’ll leave that to the therapist). Either way, they genuinely believe they cannot go fully off-grid (imagine!) so compromise by taking AL as long as they’re AC (always contactable). They’ll probably also check their emails each day ... just for peace of mind.
