Going for a maternity leave is an exciting, emotional, and beautiful period. Needless to say, communicating your absence rightly to your work colleagues and clients is essential. Understanding how to construct a maternity leave message is, therefore, an important task.
In the following guide, I aim to provide clear, simple, and actionable steps to craft your maternity leave out-of-office message effectively and carry forth a smooth communication process.
Information to Include
The first essential element of a maternity leave message involves stating key details about the leave such as:
- Acquaintance on leave: Start by explaining your absence due to maternity leave. You can also keep it private by stating you are “on extended leave” or simply “out of the office”.
- Duration of the leave: Ensure to include the period of leave. If the exact date of your return is uncertain, you can provide an estimated timeframe or state, “I am out on maternity leave.”
- Contact person during leave: It’s important to provide the contact details of the person(s) to be reached out during your leave. Include their names, roles, and contact info.
- Availability during leave: Lastly, convey the kind of accessibility you plan to maintain during your leave. Whether you will not be checking emails, checking them infrequently, or setting a different boundary, it should be transparently communicated.
Timing of the Message
If known in advance, consider setting up your out-of-office message a week or two before to avoid surprising your work contacts.
Tone of the Message
The tone and style of your leave message should ideally align with the culture of your industry and work environment. If you work in a conservative business, keep your message straightforward and professional. But if you work in a less formal environment, bring in some humor and personality.
Examples of Maternity Leave Messages
Below are a few examples of maternity leave out-of-office messages that you can tweak according to your needs:
1. Professional: “I am out on maternity leave until [date]. For immediate assistance, please contact [person’s name][contact info].
I will not be checking email but look forward to connecting upon my return.” .
2. Humorous: “I am out on maternity leave until I can get this baby sleeping through the night (Hopefully around [date], we hope!). Until then, please contact my fantastic colleague [name] at [contact info].
I will not be checking email.”.
Conclusions
Creating a thoughtful and efficient maternity leave message is essential for ensuring smooth professional communication during your absence. Remember, keeping it clear, helpful, and in line with your personal comfort is the key to crafting the perfect maternity leave message. With these tips, you’re equipped to create the maternity leave out-of-office message to fit your style and workplace. Enjoy your maternity leave without having to worry about anything. Best wishes!