Employees with a remarkable ability to communicate are valuable assets to any organization. However, they should know how to prevent communication blackouts when they are out of the office. The Business trip out-of-office message or vacation out-of-office message is necessary to maintain seamless communication with those who may try communicating with you via email. In addition, arranging an out-of-office message is a proactive strategy to inform your contacts, who may email you requesting a response.
Informing your colleagues, associates, and other contacts about your absence from the office is a basic courtesy. It can help strengthen your rapport with people who will appreciate your thoughtfulness in providing an alternate contact number. Setting up an auto-response for an out of office message in outlook for business travel is crucial to avoid the unpleasant situation of keeping the senders guessing about your whereabouts.
How to write a good out-of-office message
There are a few standard requirements for creating a business trip out-of-office message.
1. Begin with greetings
Start the auto message by mentioning something like Hi there, Hello dear sender, or Dear sender to address the person before sharing more details of the message.
2. Mention the reason
Briefly describe the reason, which may be a business trip, work travel, or event participation.
3. Period
People must know when they may expect a proper reply to their mail from you. Inform the period by mentioning dates when you will be away from the office in the DD/MM/YYYY format.
4. Optional contact
Provide the number of a responsible person who may offer help if the sender requires urgent assistance.
5. Closing
Close the mail by saying Yours truly, Best regards, or Cheers, and mention your name
What not to include in out of office messages
Remember, the business trip out-of-office message is a courteous gesture to help people know about your absence from the office. Therefore, do not include the following in the professional out of office message.
1. Trip details
Out of Office on a Business Trip suffices to mention the reason, like a business trip, without describing the trip destination, goal, and other graphic details.
2. Standard phrases
Avoid using ‘limited access to email’, which makes little sense. Mention the date when you will respond to the communication. Let the people know that there will be no response from your side before a specific date.
3. Errors and typos
Check the message for grammatical or spelling mistakes because the reply is an official response to the emails.
Examples of out of office messages
There are a few scenarios for out-of-office messages. The message can be different depending on the reason. Including the date when you expect to be back and reply to their communication is a common requirement of all out-of-office messages. Check all emails and send an appropriate response after joining the office.
1. Auto-responder out-of-office mail
Hi,
This is an auto-response to your mail.
Please note that I am out of the office. I will respond to your mail after returning to the office.
You may contact (name and number) if anything is urgent.
Thanks and regards,
(Your name)
2. General purpose
The following example can be a standard all-purpose reply.
Dear sender,
Thanks for your mail.
I am out of the office from DD/MM/YY to DD/MM/YYYY because of (mention reason).
Communicate with (provide name and contact details) during my absence from the office for any urgent requirement.
In case of an emergency, you may contact me on my number (provide your cell number).
Thanks and regards,
(Your name)
3. Business trip or out of office attending a conference
The out of office message business trip delayed response should be a small description of your business trip without mentioning the destination of the business trip. Consider the following example for auto reply messages for business travel.
Thanks for your email communication.
Presently, I am out of the office on a business trip. I will return on DD/MM/YY. I will respond to your message as soon as I join the office.
With regards,
(Your name)
4. In-transit message
The following is an example of an out-of-office message if you are en route to a business meeting and the response may take longer.
Hello,
Sincere thanks for your mail.
Just a quick note to inform you I am in transit for the (mentioned business event) from DD/MM/YYYY to DD/MM/YYYY. I may take longer to respond to your mail. Contact me on my phone if it is urgent. (mention cell number)
With regards,
(Your name)
Conclusion
You need not write an essay while creating a business trip out-of-office message. It should be a brief and simple message to make the person aware that you are aware of their communication and will act after resuming office work. Do not include your contact number if you do not wish to receive calls. Providing your subordinate’s or colleague’s contact number may be enough. Additionally, to book a corporate travel using easy and quick self-booking platform, employees can do it on Paxes. Paxes provide quick travel booking and efficient travel management solutions.
Business Trip Out Of Office Message FAQs
Why is it necessary to send out-of-office mail?
An out-of-office mail helps inform the sender about your absence from the office. It assures them of your response after resuming the office.
Is it mandatory to provide the contact number of a colleague or subordinate in the out-of-office message?
Providing an alternative contact is necessary if you are in charge of an essential service, such as customer support.
How to set up an out-of-office message if a person is on sick leave?
You may request a colleague to set up an autoresponder message mentioning your sick leave without giving a date of your return to the office. Do not provide details of your sickness in the out-of-office mail for sick leave.
What is an OOO message?
OOO message is an out-of-office message to let the sender know you cannot reply till you return to the office.
What can be a suitable subject line for a business trip out-of-office message?
Out of the office, on a business trip, can be a suitable subject line, as it is short and to the point.
How do I inform colleagues and clients about my absence?
One can inform the colleauges via several methods such as email, setting up out of office alert on email and internal communication platforms, or speaking directly in person with the colleagues.
2. What information should be mentioned in the out-of-office message?
The out of office message should have several important elements such as greetings, notification of absence, duration, emergency contacting person, reason, expected response time, and signature.
Are there any best practices for writing an effective out-of-office message?
Yes. One should maintain clarity, and be concise while writing the messages. Additionally, there should be a subject line, the message should customized for different person and direct to the point in a formal tone. You should set the alert in advance and set your voicemail accordingly.
