It sets clear boundaries for your time off in our era of perpetual electronic availability.

Your automatic out-of-office email reply solves this problem. You risk getting overwhelmed with the number of emails you have to answer or missing important emails, leading to a loss in productivity. When you return, you have an overflowing inbox from a long list of frustrated people. This communication error is particularly troublesome if you work in a client-facing role like customer service, communication, sales, or marketing. A no-reply typically means the sender is guessing why you aren’t getting back to them. People usually expect a reply to their emails within a day or two. The auto-reply message shows that you can’t respond immediately, but you’re not ignoring the email, either. It’s considered proper work etiquette when you are on vacation, at a business conference, or on sick leave. Sending an out-of-office message is a professional and polite way to let others know you are offline and unavailable. Sometimes, an OOO message tells the reader your reasons for being gone. It explains how long you’ll be gone and who’s covering your responsibilities in your absence.

An out-of-office or OOO message is an automated email response sent to anyone who emails you while you’re away.

Out of office message outlook