Out of Office Etiquette
Are you planning to be out of the office this summer? Whether for business or on a personal vacation, it is considered proper etiquette to let those trying to get in touch with you know that you are away. Here are some pointers:
Activate an automatic out of office message on your computer and on your phone. An automatic response is better than having an email or voicemail sit in your in-box until your return.
Say the date when you will be back at your desk and leave both phone and email contact information for someone who can help in your absence.
Keep your message professional. No need to say where you are going, just stating that you are “out of the office” is all they really need to know. If you say, for example, that you are out of the country, your personal possessions may be in jeopardy as it is easy to find home addresses on the internet these days.
If you are planning to check your messages remotely, say so. Someone may rather wait for you to respond even if there is a slight delay.
Depending on your computer software, it may be possible to state exceptions to your out of office message.
Put a sticky on your phone to remind you to return your computer and voicemail to normal when you return.
The best advice is to consider how you would want to be treated if you were trying to get in touch with someone if they were out of the office!
