You want to show that you’re laid back and happy to help at work. So, if someone apologizes for a mistake or thanks you for your help, you might be tempted to respond with a classic phrase – no worries!
But is this friendly reply suitably professional? Read on to find out.
Below, we’ll provide some great alternative phrases you can use instead. After that, we’ll discuss whether it’s ever appropriate to say no worries at work.
10 Alternative Ways to Say “No Worries”
Below, you’ll find 10 alternative phrases that you can use in different workplace situations:
- You’re very welcome
- It’s my pleasure
- Don’t worry
- No harm done
- It’s no trouble at all
- No need to apologize
- It can be easily corrected
- No problem
- It’s not the end of the world
- We can turn this around
1. You’re Very Welcome
When responding to thanks in a formal email, you’re very welcome is a classic choice.
For example, this is a perfectly polite and sensible way to respond to thanks from your boss at work. What’s more, the word “welcome” implies that they are always welcome to ask for your assistance in the future.
In short, it’s just a good response in any situation, and you really can’t go wrong with it.
To see what we mean, consider the email sample below:
Dear Mr. Plett,
You’re very welcome, and please don’t hesitate to reach out if you need anything else.
Kind regards,
Tegan Thistle
2. It’s My Pleasure
Another polite and friendly alternative to no worries is it’s my pleasure.
This phrase implies that it was a pleasure to help, which is an objectively nice sentiment! You can use this phrase in a professional email to a customer, so they know that they are welcome to come to you with questions or queries.
Let’s look at an example email that includes this phrase:
Dear Miss Gonzalez,
It’s my pleasure! If you have any other questions, you can contact me using this email address at any time.
Kind regards,
Matthew Yard
3. Don’t Worry
If someone has made a mistake at the office, you can use this phrase to formally quell their concerns about it. After all, panic is never productive!
Therefore, this is a great phrase to include in an email to a trainee or someone new to the workforce. Accidents are inevitable, and saying don’t worry makes it clear that they aren’t in trouble.
For instance:
Dear Gordon,
Don’t worry about the filing error – it’s easily solvable.
I’ve attached a quick tutorial so you can get it perfect next time.
Regards,
Patrick
4. No Harm Done
No harm done is a less formal way to reduce a new recruit’s anxiety about a mistake. It simply lets them know that no real problem was caused by their error.
Therefore, it’s great to use this phrase and follow it with a helpful correction so they know how to do better next time.
Consider the email sample below to see what we mean:
Dear Clark,
I retrieved the letter before it was posted, so no harm done. Just remember to double-check your addresses in the future.
Regards,
Caitlyn
5. It’s No Trouble at All
If someone apologizes by saying “sorry to trouble you” or “sorry for the trouble,” a perfect response is it’s no trouble at all!
Essentially, this friendly phrase tells the other person that they shouldn’t feel as if they are troubling you when they ask for your help.
You’re most likely to use this phrase when speaking to colleagues that you may not know very well. Therefore, this phrase should help them relax and feel more comfortable approaching you in the future.
Have a look at this example email:
Dear Moira,
It’s no trouble at all! Please feel free to contact me any time you have an issue like that.
All the best,
Cameron
6. No Need to Apologize
You can say no need to apologize when you want to reassure someone that a mistake they’ve made isn’t a big deal.
Accidents happen, especially if someone is new to the workforce. Moreover, the best way to deal with them is to correct them and move on – no apologies needed!
So, let’s see how you can use this phrase in an email sample:
Dear Cody,
There’s no need to apologize – just restart the upload and get it to me when you can.
Regards,
Hope
7. It Can be Easily Corrected
One of the best ways to respond to an error at work is to be proactive about things!
Therefore, if a trainee has made an easily solvable mistake, you can push them in the right direction by saying it can be easily corrected and telling them how.
For example:
Hi Tyler,
I can see the error, but it can be easily corrected.
Just restart the computer and replace this file with the one from the Cloud.
Hope that helps,
Troy
8. No Problem
No problem is a more informal response that you can use when a colleague you are close with thanks you for something.
Essentially, this phrase lets them know that it wasn’t a problem that they approached you for help. In other words, you’re happy to do it!
So, let’s see a sample email with this phrase in tow:
Hi Gretchen,
No problem, I’m always happy to help!
Warm regards,
Priyam
9. It’s Not the End of the World
It’s not the end of the world is another alternative to no worries that you can use during informal conversations with your colleagues.
This phrase wouldn’t be suitable for formal correspondence, but it’s perfectly fine to use if you have a friendly dynamic with your peers in the office.
Therefore, have a look at the email example below:
Hi Terry,
It’s not the end of the world – we’ll just have to rethink our strategy a bit.
I’ll give it some thought and get back to you.
Regards,
Daniel
10. We Can Turn This Around
If something goes wrong at work, it can be easy to let stress take over.
However, a better response is to become solution oriented. Moreover, you and your colleagues should work together to fix things. Therefore, the phrase we can turn this around lets your coworkers know that you are optimistic and have faith in their capabilities.
Furthermore, the inclusion of “we” lets them know that you’re all in this together! (Cue the music). This kind of attitude helps to build a strong and trusting rapport with your fellows, making it one of the best of our phrases.
Finally, let’s see this phrase in an example:
Hi Team,
Unfortunately, it looks like our system has officially crashed. However, we can turn this around!
I’ve ordered some paper and stationary, so we can go manual until it’s fixed.
Thank you for your patience, everyone.
Tia
Is It Correct to Say “No Worries”?
It’s correct to respond with no worries when someone says thank you or apologizes in informal circumstances. Essentially, this phrase is short for don’t worry about it.
However, since no worries is a very casual expression, it isn’t the best option for a professional setting.
There are exceptions to this general rule, though. For example, if you have a friendly dynamic in your office, you may use this phrase regularly, even at work.
In fact, let’s look at a couple of email examples showing some of the ways you could use this phrase in casual work emails.
Our first example will be a response to someone saying thank you:
Hi Clive,
No worries, I’m always happy to assist with these things.
Have a great day further!
Kind regards,
Kimberly
Now, let’s see a sample email showing no worries as a response to an apology:
Hi Quinn,
No worries – it was a very easy mistake to make.
Just remember it for the next task!
All the best,
Trisha
Now that we know how to use this phrase in context let’s look at a common grammar mistake people make when employing it:
Mistake: Using Worry instead of Worries
- Incorrect: No worry.
- Correct: No worries.
No worry is not a phrase used in English, so you should always pluralize it to worries when using this expression. If you want to keep the singular form of worry, you should switch no with don’t:
- Correct: Don’t worry.
In short, no worries is a friendly expression best suited for non-professional occasions.
