Funny out-of-office messages for your away day
A good away day out-of-office message says when you are back and who to contact, then adds one light line about the day, such as deciding what to stop doing or voting on every decision.
You are about to spend a day away planning with your leadership team. Your inbox deserves to know. Copy one of these, add your dates and a contact, and enjoy the replies.
For leadership away days, offsites, strategy days and retreats.
Twelve to copy
I'm at our leadership away day, deciding what we'll stop doing. Replying to this email may be first on the list.
Out of office at our away day. If it's urgent, please wait until we've agreed what urgent means.
I'm on a strategy away day with limited access to email and unlimited access to sticky notes. Back tomorrow.
Currently in a room with my leadership team and an inflatable unicorn. Both are taking it very seriously. Back tomorrow.
I'm at our away day running a pre-mortem. If this email turns out to be why the plan failed, I'll find out tomorrow.
Away today agreeing our priorities. If your email is one of them, you'll hear from me on Thursday.
I'm offsite, thinking strategically. It's harder than it looks, so I've switched email off to help.
Out at our planning day. I've been promised lunch, decisions and owners. I'm here for all three.
I'm at an away day where we vote one to five on every decision. Your email is currently a three. Back tomorrow.
On our leadership retreat until Friday. For anything urgent, contact [name]. For anything strategic, ask me again in January.
I'm away planning next year. I'll reply when I'm back, with a much clearer sense of why.
Out of office at our away day. Somebody has to win the terrible trophy, and I intend it to be me.
The sensible version
For when the CEO is copied in.
I'm at our leadership away day on [date] and back on [date]. For anything urgent, please contact [name] at [email].
Three tips
Always include a contact
The joke only works if nobody is stuck.
Keep it to two sentences
People read the first line and the name.
Match your audience
Customers and the board may prefer the sensible version.
Questions people ask first
What should an away day out-of-office message say?
When you are away, when you are back and who to contact for anything urgent. A light line about the day is optional, and it is the bit people remember.
Is a funny out-of-office message professional?
Yes, if it still tells people what they need to know. Keep it short, kind and free of in-jokes, and use the sensible version for customers if in doubt.
Related
Last updated
Tell us what has to be decided.
Thirty minutes with Matt Roberts. Tell us who'll be in the room and what you need by the end, and we'll tell you how we'd run it.