"Out of Office" means "Out of Office"
Every month, we send out our CX Greetz. CX Greetz is the name of my monthly CX newsletter, and it’s based on how I always sign off on my emails. I end with “happy greetz” instead of “best regards” or whatever else you might write there. While we send it to my community of more than 2,200 subscribers, we also receive a lot of out-of-office replies.
Some make me frown: “I’m not in the office right now; when I get back, all the emails will be deleted, so please resend it on date x.” Some make me laugh: “I’m watching Christmas movies right now; see you later,” and some make me cringe: “I’m on vacation for the next three weeks, but if you really need to reach me, please send me a text.”
No. No. No. Of course, this comes across as very helpful and kind, but it certainly doesn't help you. Let's take a closer look at a situation like this: a coworker decides he needs you for something very important. He texts you, asks for your help, and refers to an email he sent you.
You’re relaxing on the beach with your partner and maybe even your kids. It’s sunny, you’re sipping a cocktail, and the sushi will be served in twenty minutes. Your phone beeps with a text message: “Hi, it’s work!” Just when you were supposed to be enjoying some mental and physical relaxation.
Because you have a strong sense of responsibility, you open your email and read the message your colleague sent. You answer his question. And now that you’re at it anyway, you go ahead and read all the other emails as well. Your partner asks what you’re doing, and you grumble about coworkers who apparently can’t do without you. You see all sorts of things where you’re needed after all. Somehow, the atmosphere and energy have changed.
Believe me, a vacation is a vacation. You have to be clear: when you’re away, you’re away. Make sure your coworkers can handle whatever needs to be handled. Only when you’re back are you truly back in the office. Because as soon as you start responding to emails and text messages, people will think you’re available, and you’ll have created your own problems.
Set up a clear out-of-office message stating who to contact while you’re away, since you won’t be available. Now it’s up to you to trust your coworkers to keep things running while you’re gone. And, of course, be sure to update your voicemail and WhatsApp profile message.
I think back to my own experience, when I brought my laptop along on my first hiking stage. While I was helping a few clients and answering emails, they assumed I would also answer the questions that came up from those emails. Every evening, I felt like I had to open my laptop to check my emails. And not only that, but every evening I was left with work-related thoughts lingering in my mind. Since I also use WhatsApp for business, I subsequently changed my profile text to “Walking the Pilgrimage Trail -> date X.” When people texted me, I’d ask them to send an email instead and mention that my assistant would handle it, since I was on a pilgrimage. And, not surprisingly at all, everyone understood!
We humans need mental peace. Time away from the office—such as vacations—or, as I’ve done, walking a pilgrimage route. These are perfect moments for a mental reset. To create the ideal setting, you need to be clear with the outside world. Set boundaries and set the tone yourself. Vacation is vacation. Not even a little work, not a single email.
During the later stages of my pilgrimage, I didn’t have my laptop with me, but I also gave my team better instructions. “Handle all emails and customer requests yourselves. I believe in you, and when I get back, I’ll be fully rested and energetic enough to get all the work done again.” That was clear to everyone. It gave me peace of mind, and because of the trust I placed in them, they felt the company was in safe hands.
Believe me. Being clear and acting on it paves the way. "Out of office" means "out of office."
This blog post is taken from my latest English-language book, *CX is a Pilgrimage: 50 Strategies to Spice Up Your Leadership*. The book will be published in late September 2022.
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Nienke Bloem is often referred to as the Customer Experience speaker in the blue dress.
She is a global CX thought leader, educator, and keynote speaker who inspires audiences with best practices and proven methodologies. She runs a speaking practice, a CX game company, and a training business; she lives and breathes Customer Experience and is the author of two books on CX.
Her two-day Customer Experience Masterclass is known as the best program to prepare for the CCXP, and she is the go-to person for CX leaders who want to advance their leadership and achieve immediate results from their Customer Experience transformation programs. Since 2020, she has been hosting a CX Leadership Masterminds program and helping leaders enhance their leadership skills and deliver an engaging CX story, including a solid CX strategy. In addition, she is a modern-day pilgrim and has drawn parallels between her journey and leading customer-centric transformations.
With over 20 years of corporate experience, she speaks the language of business. Her keynote speeches and training programs on customer experience are inspiring and practical. She is one of the few Recognized Training Partners of the CXPA, and her mission is to make customer experience work and help you achieve business results.
