We’re writing OOO emails all wrong, says career expert: Here’s what to say to keep co-workers from messaging you
By | Aditi Shrikant | www.cnbc.com
Do your co-workers email you with timely requests even when you’re on vacation?
If so, you might be writing your out-of-office email wrong, says Brandon Smith, a therapist and career coach known as The Workplace Therapist.
Generic messages like, “I’ll be OOO until [insert date] with limited access to email” can be easy to shrug off.
“When I see that, I assume they are at home and took a day to clean their apartment,” Smith says.
Instead, include a personal detail. This can set a stronger boundary and help you elicit more guilt from whoever dares cross it.
‘You’re a jerk if you trample on that’
Getting personal doesn’t mean your message has to be long or even divulge private information.
If you’re going on a family trip, Smith suggests the following format:
“I’m going to be on a family vacation on [insert dates]. If you need immediate assistance please contact [information of colleague]”
Reading that, someone has to decide that their query is more important than your time with your family. “You’re a jerk if you trample on that,” Smith says.
