So yesterday you read our blog post, “Can Workforce Managers Afford to Not Take a Vacation?” and now you are ready to jet set off to Hawaii for vacation, or to New Orleans for a work conference- don’t forget to turn on the out-of-office reply. Chances are, you’ve always used that boring automated reply we have all been using for years (assuming you even remembered to turn it on).
Why not spice things up a bit by doing something fun and creative with your out-of-office reply? Here are just a few of the innovative ideas that workplace managers can use and have been using for awhile now. Try one out next time you’re away from the office and see what sort of responses you receive.
1) I am currently away from the office. I have a cell phone, but I will not be giving the number out. Guess the number, however, and I will take your call.
Just make sure you don’t leave your cell number in the signature line.
2) I am on vacation from mm/dd/yyyy to mm/dd/yyyy. I will allow each sender one email. If you send me multiple emails, I will randomly delete your emails until it is pared down to one. Choose wisely. Please note that you already sent me one email.
Let’s make a deal!
3) I will be out of the office from mm/dd/yyyy to mm/dd/yyyy without access to email. If this is an emergency, please call 911.
No, I can’t get Timmy out of the well.
4) I am away from my desk and lost in a sea of cubicles. Someone please come help me.
Beware of the office landshark.
5) I am away from the office at this moment. I will still be away from the office at the next moment and returning at a later moment. If you have any issues at the current moment, and they cannot wait until a later moment, please contact my manager, who may actually be away at the moment.
Moment. Moment.
6) Your message contained 15 characters too many for our system to accept at the present time. Please re-format and re-send.
Scratches head…
7) Thank you for your email. Your credit card has been charged $4.99 for the first ten words and $1.99 for each additional word in your message.
Keep emailing me, my kids need to go to college.
8) I’m away from my desk. Upon my return, my desk and I will be one cohesive unit.
Ohmmmmmmmmm
9) Hi. I’m thinking about what you’ve just sent me. Please wait by your PC for my response.
And we’re still waiting…
10) If you’re reading this, Doc Brown was unable to make lightning strike the clock tower, and I’m stuck in 1985. I won’t be able to respond to emails or voicemail until 9ish on Tuesday, February 3rd, 2014, or until email is invented — whatever comes first.
Great Scott!
What witty out-of-office replies have you seen (or used yourself)? Next time you go on vacation, try starting it off with a bang by leaving a fun reply for your colleagues and customers, you may come back to some clever responses.
