I Asked ChatGPT to Write 5 Types of Sick Day Emails to Send to My Boss — Here's What I Got | International Association of Digital Marketing Professionals (IADMP)

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In 2023, I decided to run a half marathon. As any long-distance runner would do, I found a training plan and set out to crush some practice miles.

But you know what they say about the best-laid plans, right?

My body failed me, and I fractured my hip. Which, unfortunately, resulted in me needing to take a few sick days at work. How was I going to explain this one to my boss?

With a sick day email.

Sick day emails are short, direct emails you send to your boss to alert them of your absence. It’s important to remember that you’re not asking for a day off but rather telling your boss you won’t be in due to medical reasons beyond your control.

Whether you’re like me and you’ve broken a bone, you’re physically sick, or you need a mental health day, you can use ChatGPT to write sick day emails.

Here’s how.

(Hint: Use these ChatGPT prompts below!)

What ChatGPT Wrote Me

ChatGPt is a helpful writing assistant — especially if you’re dealing with writer’s block and unsure how to write a formal sick day email.

I asked ChatGPT to write five sick day emails to use for various scenarios.

Here’s what I got.

The “I’m Pretty Sure I Broke a Bone” Email

Starting with the example of my broken hip, I asked ChatGPT to write an email to let my boss know I would not be in to work due to a potentially broken bone.

This is the prompt: “I need to email my boss to let him know I am sick. I think I’ve broken a bone. Please write an email.”

And here is ChatGPT’s suggested sick day email.

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ChatGPT’s email draft describes the situation without going into detail. The email clarifies that you will take on your missed job responsibilities when you return to the office and extend the offer to work remotely if possible.

But, it also assumes that you have already contacted a medical professional and have been assessed by a doctor. This isn’t always the case. Sometimes, you may need the day off to get an appointment with an orthopedic clinic.

So, depending on your situation, you’ll need to edit the draft to be as honest as possible. In my experience, being honest is much better than trying to hide something.

ChatGPT’s tone of voice is formal. If your work environment is more formal and serious, this draft of a sick day email will work without too many edits.

Some offices and employees are more laid back. If this is your office vibe, you should edit the draft to match your tone of voice and your boss’s expectations.

Pro tip: Always edit a ChatGPT draft email. The tone is likely not your voice, and it will be evident you used an AI writing tool for your sick day emails.