Leave an Effective Out-of-Office Message
Whether you are away from the office for a day or a month, it's important to make sure the people you leave behind can continue to get the job done in your absence. That includes co-workers, your boss, partners, clients, and associates.
You might have your bases covered with some folks, but to make sure everyone is equipped for your absence, be sure you write an effective out-of-office message.
I know what you're thinking -- an out-of-office message isn't rocket science. And you're right. There are three ingredients yours should contain:
- The dates of your absence. "I'll be away starting on Monday, January 18 and returning Thursday, January 21."
- Can you be contacted? "If you need to reach me, I'll check e-mail occasionally, but I generally won't be available by phone."
- Who to talk to instead. "For anything about widgets, e-mail Janet. For gizmos, see Cathy."
And don't forget that when you write your message in Outlook, it contains two different tabs -- one for replies to e-mail within your company, and another tab that outsiders see. It's easy to forget and accidentally configure Outlook to send the wrong message.
Photo by Leo Reynolds
