I know a few people, however, who seem to think the "Out of Office" message is either a dare or an invitation to, "Please fill up my inbox while I am away. While I am out, I am dreaming of dealing with all of your issues when I return." I'm not trying to diminish any concerns the senders might have. It's just that these particular correspondents seem to think, "Ooh. Everyone else is going to leave her alone. So, if I fill up her inbox, she will be working on my stuff as soon as she returns."
When I had that surgery back in February, I called one of my clients and told him that I was going to have to cancel an appointment we had because I was going to have emergency surgery and then would be taking time off to recuperate. The "Out of Office" message I set up said simply that I was out of the office until X date because I didn't feel like telling the world that I had surgery. That client sent me three emails a day for a week -- even the weekends.
After twenty one emails, he emailed to ask, "Have you been getting my emails?"
Because of the heavy dose of Oxycodone, it took me an hour to craft the following:
Dear Dumbfuck,
I have been getting your emails. In fact, they are pissing me off because you know I had surgery. "Recovering" from surgery doesn't mean answering your emails all day. I can hardly figure out how to send an email because of these splendid drugs which are, by the way, the reason I haven't called you to tell you off.
Because of you, I will need to resume drinking in order to cope after I run out of my oxy.
XOXO
Surly Spinster
Because I follow the rule of not sending off emails when I am in angry, I discarded the message when I was done. Well... I hit "print" and then discarded the message. It's hanging on my office door because I just might snail mail it to him one day if I get another job.
Here's the point... You may think the "Out of Office" message means the person is taking a lovely vacation in a tropical place which means they will be so re-energized when they return that they are going to be able to plow through your requests in record time. Stop to think before you freak out and load them up. Maybe they are sick, maybe someone in their family is sick, maybe someone has passed away. In short, don't be a dick. Oh, and even if they are on vacay, they are not looking forward to your marathon of missives when they return.
What do you think? Is it okay to fill up someone's inbox when you know they are gone? Unless, of course, you hate them.
