Saying goodbye to someone at the end of a work week should be fun and friendly. Perhaps you want to write “have a great weekend.” But is it the most appropriate phrase in an email?
This article will explore another way to say “have a great weekend” in a formal email. That way, you’ll have plenty of interesting phrases to pick from.
Is It Professional to Say “Have a Great Weekend”?
It is professional to say “have a great weekend.” It’s a very common way to say goodbye to colleagues and employees after a work week.
It’s formal enough to include in most emails at the end of the week. It’s also polite, making it a well-rounded choice in most cases.
This example should help you understand it better:
Have a great weekend, Michael. I hope you make the most of it.
Pros
- It’s a very polite way to say goodbye.
- It shows you are interested in your colleagues’ lives outside of work.
Cons
- It’s generic and overused.
- Some people might not have pleasant plans, so the phrase might be insensitive.
“Have a great weekend” is a great professional phrase. However, it’s good to have some synonyms up your sleeve to spice things up.
You should keep reading to learn more about the best alternatives to “have a great weekend.” There are plenty of great options available, after all!
What’s Another Way to Say “Have a Great Weekend”?
- I hope you have the best weekend
- Have a great time away
- Make the most of your time off
- See you on Monday
- Enjoy the weekend
- Enjoy your time away from work
- Have a blessed weekend
- See you next week
- Relax over the weekend
1. I Hope You Have the Best Weekend
One of the most simple ways to replace “have a great weekend” is with “I hope you have the best weekend.” The only major difference is changing “great” to “best.”
“Best” is the superlative form of “good.” It shows that you want someone to have an amazing weekend. It’s great to include when you know someone enjoys their time away from work.
It’s also quite caring to include this one in an email. You may want to use it when emailing colleagues you get along with.
You can check out the following email example to help you:
Dear Samantha,
I hope you have the best weekend. I’m looking forward to seeing what you come back with on Monday.
My best,
Patrick Heavy
2. Have a Great Time Away
You could say “have a great time away” if you know someone has some plans over the weekend. It shows you listen to them and want them to make the most of their time away from work.
For instance, a colleague may have told you they are going on a city break for a few days. If you remember that conversation, it’s worth including this phrase in an email to show that you want them to have fun.
This sample email can teach you more about it:
Dear Pedro,
Have a great time away. Let me know when you’re back so we can start working on the project together.
Yours,
Harold
3. Make the Most of Your Time Off
People often struggle to switch off once they’ve left the workplace. Work takes its toll, so enjoying one’s weekend can get quite tricky. That’s why phrases like “make the most of your time off” work well.
You should use this alternative to remind someone to have fun. It lets them know that they have a few days off work, so they should try and find joy in those days and let themselves relax a bit.
You can check out this email example to help you as well:
Dear Garry,
Please make the most of your time off. We need everyone to be ready to go when Monday comes around again.
Yours,
Mr. Kyleigh
4. See You on Monday
Okay, technically, “see you on Monday” doesn’t fit in the same way as the others. It doesn’t outright say you would like someone to enjoy their weekend. Instead, it suggests that you look forward to seeing them once the weekend is over and you’re both back at work.
It’s still a great phrase in most business emails. It works well as a goodbye at the end of the week when you don’t have anything more to say to your colleagues.
Here is an example email to help you with it:
Dear Pepper,
Thank you for helping me this week. I couldn’t have done it without you. See you on Monday!
All the best,
Sean
5. Enjoy the Weekend
You can always simplify things with “enjoy the weekend.” It’s a good phrase to use when saying goodbye at the end of the week. You don’t need to use too many words or overcomplicate the phrase.
In an email, you’re better off keeping it simple. Then, you can get your point across and end the email quickly (as long as there’s nothing else important to write about).
You can also refer to this sample email to help you:
Dear Staff,
Enjoy the weekend! We all have a busy week starting Monday, so ensure you’re refreshed and ready to go.
Yours,
Holly Maidstone
6. Enjoy Your Time Away From Work
Nearly every employee welcomes time away from work. You should play into that by saying “enjoy your time away from work.” It’s a great phrase to include in an email to appear friendly and relatable.
You can use it when addressing a team of employees. It shows you want them all to have a good time while they’re away from work. It’ll show them that you’re on the same level (even if you’re their boss) and want what’s best for them over the weekend.
This email sample will help you if you’re still unsure:
Dear Team,
Enjoy your time away from work. I hope all of you make the most of it and come back fresh after your trip.
Kind regards,
Mr. Blanket
7. Have a Blessed Weekend
There are situations where “blessed” works well as an adjective. However, you need to be careful with it.
“Have a blessed weekend” is a respectful alternative to “have a great weekend.” “Blessed” can replace “great” when you are speaking in a more formal setting to someone religious.
Of course, “blessed” isn’t all that effective when someone is not religious. It’s better to stick to the original phrase “have a great weekend” when you know someone doesn’t appreciate the adjective “blessed.”
Here is an example to show you how it works:
Dear Rachel,
I hope you have a blessed weekend ahead. Though, I’m sure you’ll find plenty of interesting things to do.
Kind regards,
Jacob Dough
8. See You Next Week
Remember, the weekend usually marks the end of the working week. So, it makes sense to say something like “see you next week.” After all, if the weekend is coming up and you’re speaking to a colleague, you won’t see them again until Monday.
In this case, Monday refers to “next week.” It means the start of the working week, and it’s a friendly way to say goodbye to someone on a Friday.
You may also want to refer to this example to help you:
Dear Mitchell,
Let me know when you get there. I hope you have a great time away. See you next week.
All the best,
Duncan Brentford
9. Relax Over the Weekend
We always try to encourage our coworkers to relax after a hard week. It’s great because it shows that you care about them outside of work and don’t want them to burn out.
Something like “relax over the weekend” is a commanding phrase that shows you care. It reminds people to take it easy and not push themselves too hard.
After all, it won’t be long before they’re back at work and working on difficult projects again. The weekends are there to relax and ease off!
Here’s a quick email example to show you how it works:
Dear Christie,
I hope you can still relax over the weekend. After all, we have a busy week ahead of us next week.
Kind regards,
Jamie Black