While an auto-responder may make your job easier it takes the personal touch out of helping your team. Some may realize what you are doing and become disillusioned by such tactics. They may feel that they are not worth your time to think up an original message of advice and encouragement to offer them. I'm not saying that those who use them are not good team leaders just that you need to be careful about how your downline may feel about a less personal way of communicating with them.