// BBC BUSINESS NEWS — FINANZA
To joke or not to joke?: How to write a good out-of-office message
You're finally about to head off on a well-earned break, but there's one more task to tick off your to-do list: composing an out-of-office reply.
Many will be all too familiar with debating how much information to include and how available you will be - and whether to inject some personality into your message, or even risk cracking a joke.
Experts say there are clear dos and don'ts when it comes to writing an out-of-office message (OOO) - and getting it wrong can have more serious consequences than you might think. Here are their rules to penning the perfect out-of-office reply.
Debretts, an etiquette consultancy, says a good automatic reply should be polite and concise, give a specific return date, and provide another point of contact if appropriate.
But you should avoid oversharing, for instance including the specifics of your holiday plans, or boasting about things like second homes or expensive hobbies.
Avoid sharing personal details about your holiday plans, says Debretts
"Virtue signalling" about why you are taking time off is another no-no. It could seem "smug" or like you are "trying too hard", says director Rupert Wesson.
"Some people will be delighted you are spending 'quality time with your family', but given that they are the ones emailing you and are hard at work, you could risk rubbing their noses in it."
That said, a bare message that simply states, "I'm out of office" with no details of a return date or alternative emails to try, can raise more questions than it answers.
"People don't know when to expect a reply or who else can help, and that uncertainty is what leads to the 'just-in-case' follow-ups," says Charlotte Davies, a career expert at Linkedin.