I just sent an email to a someone who owns their own business in the recruitment space. This is the out of office reply that came straight back:
I am now out of the office and not available until Monday 2nd September. I will not be checking email or replying to voicemail messages.
Meanwhile if you require assistance, please contact ***@*******.com
I was totally taken aback that someone had ACTUALLY GONE ON HOLIDAY. You know, a proper holiday!
But I did wonder if in these 24-7 times it’s gives a negative message to prospects and clients. I’m pretty sure that people expect to get hold of me by either phone or email within 24 hours of contacting me.
Am I wrong, is this chap right or is he out of touch and risking his business?
Shocking…someone who owns their own business wants a holiday!! Someone should have him thats a perk just for staff.
Attitudes are starting to change a little I think – people are expected/respected for taking some time out occasionally. Work/life and all that. But the message left was a little ill-thought through to say the least.
Or perhaps your friend is doing so ludicrously well that the last thing he/she needs is more business. Maybe they should just divert the phone to Adecco or similar?
What’s interesting about this is how the email is interpreted. Jason Giller (scroll up) describes it as a “Direct, honest,straightforward message”
I think it is all those things – but perhaps sat down over a friendly coffee and given some alternatives he might have rephrased it.
Maybe he was desperate to leave the office. It was 5.29pm after all…
I try to take any holidays that are more than a week long over Christmas to minimize any potential disruption to service.
These comments really frustrate me! I would understand if no point of contact was mentioned, but do you honestly expect all Recruiters to work 24/7?! Speaking as an experienced in-house Talent Acquisition Manager with prior Agency experience (and buckets of integrity), it frustrates me that expectations of a Recruiter should look any different from other professions. What are we, PA’s? Administrators? Nannies??? It sounds like this Consultant is a decent people manager and trusts his staff to Manage in his absence. Recruiters and business owners are entitled to personal and family time too. I hope he’s having a fab break 🙂
Obviously I realise my subject line is slightly suggesting I don’t approve of holiday taking. However, along with some of the respondents here I think maybe the issue is more with the tone used and the potential messaged conveyed than the fact that he was taking a break.
I agree with David’s thoughts below, the message is ill thought out and could be taken in many ways due to the language used, however I do believe its good to take time out and gain clarity of thought. As a fellow start up owner, I wouldn’t dream of cutting my communication during a holiday as I might lose an opportunity or even a deal ( Heaven for bid ) This being said, the above could of hit his number for the year and is taking time out. Even a marriage proposal ( We just do not know and shouldn’t assume). The point I am making is you can’t really read too much into the above, at the same time I think this article has demonstrated we all need to communicate better from IC – Middle Management through to VP’s and the board.
I think I agree entirely with all of your points Ben!
Direct, honest,straightforward message – what’s wrong with that? Offers an alternative point of contact (shows trust in his / her colleagues) Louise – did you contact his / her colleague?
As it happens I’d already cc’d his colleague in. Who responded within two hours. So I got the response I needed very swiftly.
Do you reckon he / she will send you a postcard? Will they be sitting on the beach (assuming it’s a beach type holiday, other holiday types are available) thinking about work or will they be spending quality time with the family (assuming they have one / have gone with them) 🙂
Just as a post script – Email tone can be interpreted in many ways, often not as the writer had intended, but I like it in this case, brevity is good, which I have not adopted for this reply! – By Louise’s own admission she got what she needed within 2 hours, so not a bad result for all parties?
Very interesting article on this subject over at FT.com.
“Must I check emails on holiday?”
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/d12d8a3a-edfb-11e2-a325-00144feabdc0.html#axzz2c2lCQOn2