Gen Z is transforming office email etiquette — but it could backfire

HR and employment experts have noticed a rise in casual and fun out-of-office emails by Gen Z employees.

• Gen Z is transforming work communication with informal and comedic out-of-office emails.
• The trend began on TikTok in 2022. Experts said it is helping change office culture in deep ways.
• A casual workplace can bring advantages, but also risks being seen as unprofessional.

Gen Z is rewriting the rules of work communication — starting with out-of-office emails.

Employment experts told Business Insider they had noticed a rise in informal and comedic out-of-office emails from the youngest employees in recent years.

They said these types of emails usually consist of jokes, puns, and emojis instead of the conventional bare bones of when you might be back.

The trend is part of a wider shift in workplace culture being driven by Gen Z.

While it could do people good to lighten up a bit, the experts said, there is also a risk that relaxing too much comes at the expense of professionalism. It could also annoy your boomer boss.

A new work-life balance

Gen Z's email habits have been turning heads, as The Guardian first reported last week.

"On vacation. Hoping to win the lottery and never return," one said.

Another might say: "Contact literally anyone else but me."

The workplace trend, which first surfaced on TikTok in 2022, could have a lasting impact on office culture, according to experts who spoke to Business Insider.

Some of it is good.

Lucas Botzen, the CEO of the workplace platform Rivermate, told BI by email that he noticed an increase in emojis, casual language, and jokes in emails by Gen Z employees. He said it "makes for a more informal and approachable workplace culture."

"It gives way to more real and more efficient communication when people are comfortable being themselves," he said.

Steven Athwal, the founder of UK retailer The Big Phone Store, told BI that this trend marks a wider "prioritisation of a work-life balance" and personal boundaries.

He noticed it in his own staff of around 45, which a representative said contains 20 Gen Zers.

Athwal said that the change in etiquette extends beyond out-of-office emails. He said he noticed the change in Gen Z résumés, regular work emails, and Microsoft Teams messages.

Around 71% of people surveyed on behalf of the UK bank Barclays in August 2023 said they believed Gen Z was changing the formality of language in the workplace. 73% of people surveyed said that shift had, in turn, made their work communication style more casual.

Between coworkers only

It's worth noting that casual emails could backfire if sent to the wrong person.

Daniel Harris, a director at the recruitment firm Robert Walters, told BI that he, too, noticed Gen Z employees signing off emails with fun and informal taglines. An example might be not saying "Many thanks," but instead: "Stay fresh, never frozen."

Lines like that "run the risk of being seen as rude or disrespectful," Harris said.

He said it could confuse older generations, who might struggle to response. It could come off as unprofessional or disrespectful if sent to a manager.

"My advice to young professionals is to be conscious of your audience. Sending excessively casual or joke-laden emails to your line manager or above can be a surefire way of damaging your professional image, whereas exchanging jokes between colleagues can help workplace relationships flourish," he said.

Botzen, the Rivermate CEO, also said email etiquette should depend on the recipient. He told BI he has no issue with his employees using casual and fun language to colleagues, but that they should be careful with clients or partners.

Paola Accettola, CEO of the consultancy True North HR, also said that fun out-of-office emails should usually be reserved for coworkers only.

"Employees setting boundaries and having fun is a positive thing. Still, it can present problems if a colleague or client misinterprets what is meant to be a funny out-of-office email or email sign-off," she said.

"It's important to always consider how your message could be received to prevent causing any misunderstandings."