Crafting the Perfect Maternity Leave Out of Office Message: A Comprehensive Guide

Taking maternity leave from work can be an exciting yet stressful time. While you eagerly anticipate the arrival of your new bundle of joy, you also have to ensure work continues smoothly in your absence. Setting up an out of office message is a crucial step for any expectant mother preparing to take maternity leave.

This comprehensive guide will walk you through crafting the ideal maternity leave auto-reply, We’ll cover

• The importance of out of office messages during maternity leave
• When to set your out of office message
• What details to include (and avoid)
• Professional tone and wording
• Examples and templates to inspire your own message

Follow these tips to create an out of office that minimizes disruption, provides helpful contacts, and leaves recipients feeling supported.

Why Your OOO Message Matters

A thoughtful out of office message makes a big difference for several reasons:

• Informs contacts of your leave so they can plan accordingly
• Provides alternative points of contact to handle urgent needs
• Manages expectations about response time during your absence
• Projects a professional impression despite being away

Without an auto-reply in place, every email recipient will be left wondering why you aren’t responding. They may resend messages repeatedly, delay important decisions, or even complain to your employer. A concise yet warm OOO prevents this confusion and frustration.

When Should You Set Your Message?

Ideally, you want your maternity leave out of office running at least 2-4 weeks before your due date. This gives your contacts and colleagues plenty of advance notice to handle any pending items and make plans for while you are gone.

If possible, set up your OOO message before you fully wrap up work to avoid any gap where emails go unanswered. That said, don’t panic if you end up delivering earlier than expected. You can easily set the auto-reply from your phone if needed.

Plan to keep your message active until 2-3 days after you return so people are aware you are catching up on a backlog of emails.

What to Include in Your OOO Message

There are several key details to cover in an effective maternity leave out of office:

Dates of Your Leave

This gives recipients context on when you are away and when you will return. For example:

• I will be out of the office on maternity leave starting May 5th through August 15th.

If you don’t have exact dates, you can give a general timeframe:

• I will be out of the office over the coming months for maternity leave, returning approximately end of summer.

Alternative Contacts

Provide 1-2 colleagues that can address urgent needs while you are gone. Include their:

• Full name
• Job title/department
• Email address
• Phone number

For example:

• For immediate assistance, please contact Jane Doe, Marketing Manager, at [email protected] or 123-456-7890.

Expected Response Time

Manage expectations about when you will get back to emails. For example:

• I will respond to non-urgent messages when I return from leave.

Or if you plan to check email periodically:

• While I will have limited access to email, I will do my best to reply within 5 business days.

Personal Note (Optional)

A warm closing leaves recipients with positive feelings and reinforces team rapport. For example:

• I appreciate your patience and look forward to reconnecting when I return.
• Thank you for your understanding during this exciting time!

How to Craft Your Message with Care

Follow these tips to ensure your maternity OOO projects professionalism:

Use Proper Tone

Keep language formal rather than overly casual. This promotes workplace polish. Forgo exclamation points and avoid unofficial phrases like “popping out a baby.”

Omit Pregnancy/Baby Details

While it’s fine to announce your leave is for maternity reasons, avoid specifics about due dates, names, or other personal matters. Keep the focus on availability.

Express Appreciation

Thanking colleagues for patience or understanding leaves recipients feeling valued rather than inconvenienced.

Proofread Carefully

Typos or grammar mistakes give the impression you didn’t put care into your message. Ask a colleague or partner to review before sending.

Update as Needed

If your leave needs to be extended or shortened, promptly update your message so contacts have accurate info.

Sample OOO Messages for Inspiration

Here are a few examples of professional maternity leave out of office messages:

I will be out of the office starting May 1 on maternity leave, returning August 1. For assistance during my absence, please contact Jane Doe at [email protected]. I appreciate your patience and will respond to non-urgent messages once I return.

I’m excited to announce I will soon be out on maternity leave. I’ll be away from the office starting March 15th, returning June 1st. While I’m out, please direct all inquiries to John Smith ([email protected]). Thank you for your understanding during this special time.

I wanted to let you know I’ll be out of the office over the coming months for maternity leave. I’ll be back by the end of summer. In the meantime, Suzanne Chase ([email protected]) can assist with any immediate needs. I will have periodic access to email and will reply as soon as I am able. I appreciate your patience and look forward to reconnecting upon my return!

Taking a few minutes to thoughtfully craft your maternity leave out of office message makes a big difference in maintaining professional communication. With these tips and examples to guide you, you can create an OOO that minimizes disruption for your contacts while clearly conveying your leave details.

Focus on expressing appreciation, providing helpful alternative contacts, managing response expectations, and projecting workplace polish. With a dialed-in auto-reply in place before your maternity leave starts, you can focus on rest and enjoying time with your new arrival!