Why You Should Include Personal Information in Your Out of Office Email

At some point, out-of-office emails lost their meaning. All too often, when someone receives an automated response, they may read and understand the first part—that the person they are trying to reach is not at work—but decide to ignore the second, and perhaps more important, part about when they can expect hear a response from them.

Or, in some cases, the person receiving the LLC message assumes that it applies to everyone but him. In any case, instead of accepting and respecting the fact that this person won’t answer his email until he gets back to work, these impatient people keep contacting him, expecting an immediate response – even for things that are even remotely are not urgent. .

So how do you get people to stop pestering you while you’re away? According to one career coach, the key to success is adding personal information to an LLC’s email. Here’s what you need to know.

Why People Ignore Your Out of Office Message

While some people work for companies that require all employees to use the same email out of the office when they are away, others, including freelancers and other self-employed people, are free to compose their own messages tailored to their needs. . and situation.

If you fall into the second category, career coach and therapist Brandon Smith suggests avoiding generic messages like “I’ll be LLC by [insert date] and answer your email when I get back,” which he says are too easy to understand. ignore.

“When I see this, I assume they are at home and have been cleaning their apartment all day,” Smith recently told CNBC .

How to Write a More Effective Email Out of the Office

Instead of using one of these boilerplate automatic replies, Smith recommends including personal information in your email to set more boundaries while you’re away.

However, it is not necessary to include a lengthy explanation for your absence or any personal information; in fact, it’s best to avoid both. Short and easy way.

For example, if you’re going on a trip with your family, Smith suggests the following wording according to CNBC :

“I’m going on vacation with my family [insert dates]. If you need immediate assistance, please contact [colleague information].”

When someone receives this email, they will have to determine if their question or concern is more important than your free time with your family. “You’re an asshole if you trample on this,” Smith told CNBC .

Of course, some people don’t really care what you do or who you are with and will continue to contact you when it’s convenient for them. But ideally, having some idea of ​​what you’re doing and why you’re not in the office will be enough for others to think twice before continuing.