how do i write a goodbye speech at work

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Giving A Farewell Speech At Work (With Examples)

• Say Goodbye To Coworkers
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Summary. Your farewell speech at work is an opportunity to bring your time with the company to a close in a friendly way. In your speech should express your gratitude for your company and colleagues and let people know where you are going. Your speech should be personal and it’s a good idea to use anecdotes from your time in the office.

No one can stay at a job forever, and there comes a time in everyone’s career when you have to say goodbye to a group of coworkers.

Whether you got promoted and relocated, you’re retiring, or you were given a better offer by another company, it’s nice to give all of your coworkers a proper goodbye, and one of the best ways to do this is in a farewell speech.

No matter when or why you need to give a farewell speech, we’ll help you prep one that’s memorable and moving in no time. Keep reading to learn what a farewell speech is, how to create a good one, and a few examples you can model yours after.

Key Takeaways:

Keep your speech positive and use a relaxed tone while giving it.

Create an outline when writing your speech to get an idea of what you want to say before you start writing.

Thank your coworkers for their support and for creating a fun work environment.

What Is a Farewell Speech?

How to write a job farewell speech, examples of farewell speeches, tips for delivering a good farewell speech, writing a farewell speech for a colleague, farewell speech faqs.

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Farewell speeches are an opportunity to bring your time with a company to a close in a polite and friendly way. Typically, they’re short speeches you can make on your last day or if your coworkers throw you a going-away party. They don’t need to be long monologues; you just need to express your gratitude for your time with the company and let people know where you’re heading.

Keep in mind that farewell speeches don’t have to happen every time someone leaves a job or switches offices. Farewell speeches are usually reserved for people who have had a significant impact on a company, worked somewhere for a long time, or are retiring . Not everyone has to give a special speech, so if you feel like you haven’t been at a company long enough or don’t have a high enough position to make a speech, you definitely don’t need to.

Farewell speeches are pretty low pressure, and you can just speak from the heart, so they’re not the trickiest professional speech you’ll ever have to give. But, it still doesn’t hurt to be prepared and have an idea of what you want to say before your opportunity arises. Here are the steps you should take when you want to prepare your farewell speech ahead of time:

Start with an outline. Even though goodbye speeches are just a few minutes long, it doesn’t hurt to have a general idea of what you want to say before you start forming your thoughts.

Beef up your ideas. After you have an outline, you can start filling it in with anything you want to share. Be sure to make everything flow, which the outline can help with since you already know what you want your next point to be.

Let people know where you’re going. Before you wrap up your speech, make sure you take a moment to tell your coworkers what your next step is . Whether you’re retiring, moving to a new company, or having a career change, people want to know what you’re up to and how they can stay in touch with you.

Create a strong conclusion. When you’re writing the end of your speech, make sure it follows the tone you’ve created throughout the rest of the speech. If you went for a more serious tone, you should make sure you keep the ending serious, and the same goes for if you went for a humorous tone.

Edit your speech. Before you read your speech for your coworkers, you should read it aloud for yourself to make sure everything feels right. You can even have a friend read it over for you, but just make sure you give it a read over before giving your speech.

Here are a few examples of farewell speeches you can give to your coworkers before you leave your job. We’ll give you some samples of different reasons you might be departing a company.

If You’re Retiring

Hi everyone. Thanks so much for taking time out of your day to celebrate my last day with ABC Company. After 20 years here, I can’t believe I won’t be seeing that hideous fake plant and all of your lovely faces every morning. I’m immensely grateful to everyone in this room, especially my HR team. We’ve done some amazing work during my time here, from implementing our database years ago to supporting our colleagues throughout some rocky patches at ABC. I’ll miss everyone on the HR team, especially our weekly Friday gossip lunches. I also want to give a huge thanks to Linda, our head of HR. Linda’s been with me almost since my start, and I wouldn’t have gotten to where I am today without her kindness and support. Thanks for everything, Linda. I’m sad to say goodbye to all of you, but I’ll be stopping in from time to time. It’s been an incredible journey with you all, but now it’s time for me to kick back and finally watch that new show you’ve all been telling me about! Thanks again, everyone!

If You’re Leaving For Another Company

Thank you all for coming. I really appreciate you taking some time out of your days to send me off like this. I’ve loved my time here because of all the wonderful people I’ve met, so you’re making it really hard for me to leave. I just want to say a little thank you to my team, who has been by my side since I started at Smith Consulting. Without the leadership and mentorship of Brenda, I don’t know how I would’ve ever moved up to Senior Consultant . Of course, I have to thank my fellow team members Oliver, Sarah, and John, for keeping me motivated and laughing during our late-night brainstorms, countless airport trips, and meetings with tough clients. I also want to give a quick shoutout to Jamie, who will be taking over for me. Jamie is amazing, and I’ve really enjoyed working with her and watching her grow over the last month. I know she’ll do a great job and be a real asset to the team after I’m gone. I’ve enjoyed every second I’ve been with Smith Consulting, and I’m sad to leave. I’ll be moving to Chicago with my husband to be closer to our families, but I sincerely hope everyone will stay in touch. Hopefully, I’ll make it back out here soon, and we’ll have a chance to work together again. Thank you again to everyone, and I’ll miss all of you!

No matter how formal or informal your farewell speech is, you can follow these tips to make sure you deliver one that’s memorable:

Practice before the big day. Just like anything else, practicing your speech a few times before you give it is a good way to make sure it flows. It can also help you make sure you sound natural and relaxed when you give your speech.

Greet your listeners. To make your speech more lighthearted, you should acknowledge your audience before launching into your speech. Take a second to greet everyone and incorporate them into your speech.

Make it personal. At the end of the day, the speech is about you and your colleagues, so don’t be afraid to make it personal. Your audience will find it more entertaining if you make your speech specific and personal than if you just keep things generic and vague.

Stay positive. While you might be departing with your company for negative reasons, don’t bring anything up in your farewell speech.

Use anecdotes. One way to make your speech memorable and engaging is to use stories from your time in the office. Think of running jokes you have with your coworkers or talk about the great prank you pulled on your boss one year.

Thank your coworkers. While this is a speech about your time at the company, you should take time to thank your coworkers for their support and creating a fun work environment .

Keep it natural. There’s no need to force yourself to do a formal farewell speech if that’s not your personality. Do something that feels natural to you and represents who you are in relation to your audience. You can keep it light and humorous if that fits you, or go for something more serious; just keep it natural.

Use a relaxed tone. Since farewell speeches aren’t overly formal, you want to make sure you’re using a relaxed tone when you address your audience.

Be brief. Your colleagues want to hear from you, but they don’t want a ten-minute walk down memory lane, especially when they’re waiting to eat or need to get to a meeting.

Sometimes you’ll be asked to give a farewell speech for a colleague that is leaving. In this case, you’ll follow many of the same principles that we listed for a farewell speech that you’d give when you’re the one leaving.

Instead of talking about your time with the group as a whole, however, you’ll talk about the individual who is leaving.

Share some of their positive qualities and accomplishments, a few memories or uplifting experiences you had with the person, and how the person has impacted your career or the workplace as a whole.

Close by thanking them for their hard work and wishing them well as they move on to other endeavors.

How do I give a farewell speech for leaving a company?

You give a farewell speech for leaving a company by briefly mentioning a few positive memories of your time working there, expressing your sadness at your departure, and thanking your coworkers.

This speech should be more about your colleagues than about you, so make sure you keep your speech to the point and focused on topics everyone can appreciate.

General memories that most people have in common or your gratitude toward different people or groups in the organization are both great points to include in your speech.

How should I start my farewell speech?

You should start your farewell speech by thanking everyone for being there. Chances are you’re giving your speech at an event of some kind, and even if it’s just a gathering in the conference room to eat cake, you need to thank everyone for taking the time to attend.

From there, you can move into sharing what you’ve appreciated or positive things you’ve learned from your time at the company, thanking your coworkers, and sharing where you’re going next.

What are some good farewell sayings?

Some good farewell sayings are, “It’s been an incredible journey,” “I hope you will keep in touch,” and “I wish you the best.” These sayings all express your appreciation for your coworkers and your desire to continue those relationships.

It’s important to include phrases like these in your speech to show that while you may be excited about what you’re moving to next, you are still sad to be leaving this job and community behind.

How do I say goodbye to my colleagues?

Same ways to say goodbye include:

“I’m going to miss you. Wishing you luck in your new role and your future. We’ll talk soon.”

“It was a blast working with you. We will miss having you around. Goodbye, dear friend.”

“leaving this place and everyone will be difficult, thank you, everybody. Goodbye.”

“Although I am thrilled about my new position, I’m sad to leave the company. Everyone, goodbye.”

Best Speech Topics – Farewell Speech

Throughline – How To Give A Memorable Farewell Speech

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Amanda is a writer with experience in various industries, including travel, real estate, and career advice. After taking on internships and entry-level jobs, she is familiar with the job search process and landing that crucial first job. Included in her experience is work at an employer/intern matching startup where she marketed an intern database to employers and supported college interns looking for work experience.

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Farewell Speech Examples: How to Say Goodbye with Grace

As much as we’d like our goodbyes — whether to a job, a loved one, or a chapter in our lives — to be extended and leave us with a lasting feeling of warmth and appreciation, that isn’t always the case.

A well-crafted farewell speech has the potential to turn any difficult goodbye into a fond farewell, leaving all parties feeling gracious and grateful. To guide you in bringing your goodbye to its highest form, let’s delve into the art of delivering a good farewell speech.

What is a Farewell Speech?

A farewell speech is a way to mark one’s departure from an organization, group, or event. It’s typically delivered by someone who is leaving or has recently left their role or position in the organization and is typically intended to say thank you and express empathy and gratitude for the audience.

Farewell speeches often include a call to action for those who remain in the group or organization, providing insights and advice that can help the group move forward even after the speaker leaves.

The debate about what constitutes an effective farewell speech depends largely on the context of the particular situation.

On one hand, some people argue that a simple goodbye and thank you are all that is needed in order to properly bid farewell. They might argue that more than this would be repetitive and unhelpful as it would not add any new information or create any additional value.

On the other hand, others argue that a more detailed goodbye and send-off provides more closure, comfort, and support, allowing those remaining to better process the change and find growth opportunities in it.

No matter the approach taken, however, it’s important to recognize that farewell speeches are important moments for both those who are leaving and those who are staying; they provide an opportunity for reflection on memories shared, lessons learned, and relationships formed—all of which contribute to making an impactful farewell experience.

With this in mind, the next section will discuss what makes an effective farewell speech.

Quick Answer

A farewell speech is an important way to mark one’s departure from an organization, group, or event. It usually includes gratitude and a call to action for those who remain in the group. Farewell speeches often include a reflection on memories shared, lessons learned, and relationships formed. What constitutes an effective farewell speech depends on the situation but it should provide closure and comfort.

What Makes an Effective Farewell Speech?

The delivery and content of a farewell speech can significantly influence the sentiment behind goodbye messages. It’s important for sendoff speakers to emphasize gratitude and to express their appreciation for the time spent with colleagues, friends, or family.

A successful farewell speech should be heartfelt, sincere, and thoughtful. When crafting a farewell speech, speakers may want to consider incorporating elements like humour, humility, and inspiration in order to add depth to their words.

Additionally, touch upon shared emotions to convey the bond between both parties. Focusing on these three elements allows for a memorable sendoff that will stick with the crowd in attendance.

Humour is an effective way of connecting with the audience and lightening the atmosphere; providing some levity amongst more serious anecdotes. Self-deprecating remarks can be a way of connecting with colleagues in a more intimate way; showing you are equally as human as they are.

On the flip side, too much humour can sometimes come across as insincere and hinder the speaker’s attempt at conveying genuine emotion; arguably one of the key components of an effective farewell speech.

Moreover, include inspirational stories which feature distinct examples of gratitude within them—this will create greater authenticity and leave guests feeling impacted by your words.

As aforementioned, it’s vital for goodbyes to incorporate appreciation for time spent together—evoke specific memories and draw attention to individuals when necessary rather than speaking in generalities.

Ensure that your words make an impact on those who need to hear them. With these in mind, it’s possible to craft a successful transition from one stage of life to another through an effective farewell speech that is full of grace and gratitude.

Having addressed what makes an effective farewell speech, we’ll next discuss how best to show appreciation in sending off messages.

Showing Appreciation

Showing appreciation is a key element of any farewell speech. Expressing gratitude for the years spent in each other’s company conveys respect and admiration for all that has been accomplished.

When it comes to including words of acknowledgement and appreciation, many people choose to highlight the special moments shared, celebrate the successes seen, and offer thoughtful acknowledgements or simple thank yous.

However, there are opposing opinions on how to best show appreciation. Some suggest keeping dedications to a minimum so as not bore listeners with too much detail while others believe a more thorough approach can help create lasting memories and nostalgia.

The most important thing is to be mindful of your audience and what feels right based on the relationship that the farewell speech is celebrating.

If appropriate, consider having a moment at the end of your speech where you thank everyone individually while explicitly naming their individual contributions. A more public approach can include a round of applause directed at individuals who have had an impact on you along your journey.

In conclusion, expressing appreciation in a farewell speech provides an opportunity for reflection and celebration of meaningful experiences. Celebrating the occasion marks a special moment in time as one move forward in life or career.

Celebrating the Occasion

When someone is leaving their current role, it is important to take some time to celebrate and recognize their achievements. Celebrating the occasion acknowledges their contribution, gives thanks for their hard work, and shows gratitude for their time.

It can be a meaningful gesture that highlights the value of the departing employee or colleague, and can also be an inspiring opportunity for those who remain in the position.

In planning a celebration for the person’s departure, consider what would best suit their personality and interests. A simple going-away party, a framed thank-you card, or another creative form of recognition might be just the right way to say goodbye.

However, it is also important to consider how this celebration could affect morale and productivity within the team. If there is already tension in the workplace due to changes in leadership or a reorganization of roles, then holding a celebratory event could serve to further emphasize inequalities among employees or even create an uncomfortable environment.

When deciding how best to celebrate someone’s departure, it is important to assess both potential positive and negative implications of any action and plan accordingly. Doing so ensures that both the departing employee or colleague is properly recognized as well as all other members of the team feel respected and appreciated for their own contributions.

By acknowledging this balance appropriately, it will help ensure that everyone feels included and appreciated when saying goodbye. From here we can move on to discuss how to use a farewell speech to inspire your audience.

Inspiring Your Audience

In order to move an audience and leave a lasting impression, it is important to ensure that your farewell speech is both inspirational and meaningful. To do this, consider talking about how much the experience meant to you, how much you have enjoyed and learned from your friends and colleagues, or highlighting the greatest accomplishments of the group.

Additionally, use personal anecdotes that reflect the experiences of everyone in the audience. This will not only inspire emotions in them but also allow them to connect with each other as they share similar memories.

If applicable, provide words of wisdom to encourage resilience and success in the future. Show gratitude for being part of something special, even if it may be difficult to say goodbye.

By doing so, you can instill hope rather than sadness in the audience with your kind words. By expressing solidarity and understanding, your message can picture a bright future on which everyone can look forward to despite leaving their respective positions.

Ultimately, it’s important to speak positively during a farewell speech so as to leave a good impression in people’s minds when departing. Inspiring your audience will also help them remember you fondly and feel positive about their time spent together.

As such, wrap up your speech with an example or phrase that gets repeated by people long after they heard it or send out a meaningful message that serves as an uplifting reminder for all who were present.

Now that we have discussed how to inspire an audience through a farewell speech it’s time to focus on what such speeches could be like. In the next section, we will cover examples of farewell speeches so you can get some great ideas on what to include in your own address.

Example of a Farewell Speech

When you’re leaving your current position at work, it’s customary to deliver a farewell speech. These speeches provide a meaningful way to say goodbye and reflect on the successes of your time spent in the role.

Here is an example of an effective farewell speech that can be tailored to your experience and the tenor of your workplace:

“Good morning everyone! I want to thank you all for being here today. As many of you know, today is my last day with [Company Name], and I wanted to take a few moments to say a few words about my experience here.

This company has been a great home for me during the last [insert length of time]. During my time here, I learned countless skills , met fantastic people, and made memories to last a lifetime. Working with all of you has been an incredible honor – you have always demonstrated kindness and strong work ethic. I’m sure the business will continue to grow under the capable leadership of [current leader].

I have enjoyed every minute of my time here and I wish this team tremendous success as they move forward. Remember: no matter what happens in life, don’t forget to find joy in what we do. Thank you so much for your support – now let’s celebrate!”

Farewell speeches are a great opportunity for reflection and sentimentality but it’s important to balance it out with humor or positivity depending on the setting.

On one hand, some people might opt for deeper reflections on their journey and how each person has played a part in their development, while others may choose to keep their speeches lighthearted and upbeat.

Regardless of which option works best for your audience, remember that these farewell speeches provide valuable opportunities to build connections before departing from an organization or team.

At the same time, it’s important not to let the farewell speech drag on too long – keep the message brief yet meaningful. This allows present colleagues to receive appreciation without disrupting daily workflow.

Prefer a longer example? Here’s one from George Washington to the people of the USA .

Crafting Your Own Farewell Speech follows similar guidelines – find the right mix between reflection and positivity in order to create an effective speech that resonates with its audience.

Crafting Your Own Farewell Speech

Crafting your own farewell speech is a task that should not be taken lightly. It requires thought and honest reflection to craft a meaningful and memorable goodbye speech.

Your words should pay tribute to the experience you have had while connecting emotionally with your audience. Crafting your own farewell speech gives you the opportunity to directly address how hard it was to leave and acknowledge the contributions made both by yourself and others in the organization.

When deciding on how to create a memorable farewell speech, there are two paths one can take. On one hand, those looking for guidance might want to find existing templates filled with the right sentiments that they can customize to fit their needs.

Alternatively, those who prefer writing from scratch can develop their own narrative thread, drawing on their own words of wisdom and emotions as they feel them in the moment.

When constructing a self-made speech, it’s important to remember brevity is key. Each word should have intent and purpose; it’s better to be thoughtful than wordy.

Bear in mind that this moment presents an opportunity for closure and for celebration for accomplishments along the journey you embarked upon together.

It’s also worth mentioning any lessons learned or valuable experiences gained during this transition. As daunting as this may sound, it can be immensely rewarding when done well.

Having taken into account both sides of creating a farewell speech, next is brainstorming potential topics that can serve as inspiration for crafting an effective goodbye message.

Brainstorm Topics

Brainstorming topics for a farewell speech allows you to come up with an effective way to express your gratitude and appreciation when saying goodbye. This is important because it helps you maintain dignity, respectfulness and meaningfulness in the words you choose to say.

Before delivering a heartfelt farewell, it’s important to consider what areas are worth mentioning.

You should focus on three main topics when creating a farewell speech: the past, the present, and the future.

When reflecting on “the past ,” you should focus on acknowledging your successes and accomplishments while working there. This helps to reinforce that your contributions did not go unnoticed and were appreciated by those around you.

It helps to inspire and motivate others with the knowledge of your success in the workplace. Consider thanking coworkers for helping you achieve your goals over time; collaborative efforts often go underappreciated and focusing on why their help was beneficial can be a pleasant surprise.

Another important topic to consider is “the present ”; this is where you can express your gratitude and thank everyone who has helped you through this long journey of leaving the company.

Provide sincere thanks to coworkers and colleagues who have been key in making it possible for you to depart gracefully.

Consider being transparent about what you have learned during your years in the organization and how these learnings will propel you forward into new opportunities or ventures.

Finally, mention how much the people in the organization mean to you, as well as how much they will be missed—this will help solidify that relationships were built during your stay at the company and that they won’t easily be forgotten or taken for granted.

Lastly, “the future ” focuses on optimism, hope, and reaffirms resilience—even in times of change. Here, emphasize any newfound strength that was built during this experience, as well as talk about future aspirations or goals with optimism.

Lastly, send off a few encouraging words for those left behind reminding them that great things can still occur despite difficulty or instability occurring at work due to your departure from the team.

With these three topics outlined it’s now time to choose your words carefully with precision so that the final speech resonates all of these concepts entirely; leading into a memorable goodbye for those who will hear it spoken aloud.

Choose Your Words Carefully

When crafting your farewell speech, it is important to choose your words carefully. Each word should invoke not only emotion, but also provide a level of understanding for the audience. It is essential that you communicate your message perfectly and with clarity.

To begin, strive to craft an introduction with strong language that grabs the attention of your listeners. This could range from using metaphors or analogies to compare yourself to a superhero or time traveler depending on the audience’s sense of humor and interests.

Anticipate potential questions from the audience and provide thoughtful answers in advance.

Be sure to include gratitude during your speech even if it’s uncomfortable. Doing so will make you look professional and acknowledge how much you appreciate any help given to you over the years. Showing appreciation will surely leave a lasting impression.

Try to close strong, offering perspectives to the colleagues who remain and looking ahead to new possibilities instead of focusing on sadness or regret. Reassure them that they too can pursue their dreams and opportunities just as you have, conveying optimism in the process.

Furthermore, reflect on your newfound clarity while providing an outlook full of positivity; emphasizing the benefits you may reap going forward regardless of any hardships faced along the way.

Choose your words carefully when preparing for a farewell speech; it will be key in making sure this moment shines.

Consider tips such as designing an introductio n full of strong language, expressing gratitude, and providing an optimistic outlook for those remaining when constructing your own dream goodbye speech.

As a final step before delivering it, practice speaking with emotion and deliver the speech body language that conveys both warmth and sincerity. With these strategies, you can say goodbye with grace and gratitude.

This next section looks at how best to deliver a farewell speech with emotion; from preparing beforehand to finding ways to connect with the audience on an emotional level while delivering it.

Deliver the Speech With Emotion

Delivering a farewell speech with emotion can make or break the impact of the speech. On one hand, some might say that showing too much emotion is not professional and may take away from the gravity of the situation.

For example, if someone gets overly emotional in a workplace setting, it could create an uncomfortable atmosphere. The speaker would need to maintain a certain level of composure to keep the focus of the audience and to remain professional.

On the other hand, delivering a farewell speech without emotion does not give justice to the heartfelt emotions connected to this particular occasion. Heartfelt tales of memories and personal experiences paired with earnest gratitude and respect should be expressed with intensity and feeling.

Audiences tend to connect more deeply with speeches that are delivered with genuine emotion rather than one filled with boring facts and statistics.

It is important to find balance in your delivery style between staying professional while also expressing your feelings fully in order to truly convey the gravity of the occasion.

A blend of stoic delivery and heartfelt emotions will ensure that everyone in attendance can both respect your professionalism while connecting on an emotional level with you as well.

As we have seen, it is important to strike a balance between staying professional while delivering a farewell speech with emotion – finding this balance will help ensure that everyone in attendance appreciates your sincere sentiments and respects your level of composure at the same time.

In the following section, we will discuss how to bid adieu in an effective conclusion to your farewell speech.

Conclusion: Saying Goodbye

Saying goodbye can be one of the most emotionally fraught experiences in a person’s life. It is a moment when all of the hard work, dedication, and fond memories come flooding back in a flood of mixed emotions.

Farewell speech examples can provide structure and guidance for those who are preparing their own speeches. There are many different types of farewell speeches, from those that are funny and lighthearted to those that are more reflective and sombre.

No matter which type of speech you decide to write or deliver, always remember to express your utmost gratitude towards the people who have helped you during your time with them. Aim to make your speech memorable by ending it on an emotional high note. Above all else, strive to keep it sincere and meaningful.

It is often said that endings can be bittersweet, however, with proper planning and preparation through reviewal of some farewell speech examples, your own farewell speech can be both graceful and positive.

When the words come from the heart they will often linger with your friends or colleagues long after they are gone. With this in mind, remember to make goodbyes count – not only for yourself but for the people around you as well.

Answers to Common Questions with Detailed Explanations

How should i structure my farewell speech.

Structuring your Farewell Speech is important as it can help to make sure that your thoughts and sentiments are expressed in an organized manner. There are several steps that you can take to ensure that your speech is well-structured: 1. Acknowledge the occasion and thank people for being there – After beginning with a warm welcome, state the reason for gathering and express gratitude to everyone present for attending the function. 2. Take time to share memories – Many farewell speeches are full of nostalgia so use this time to reminisce about moments from the past, stories from shared experiences, fond memories of work or successes achieved together. 3. Show Gratitude – Take some time to express appreciation for colleagues and associates for their support, friendship, and guidance throughout your tenure. Express any sorrow you may have in leaving. 4. Thank & Recognize those who Inspire You – Use this opportunity to thank anyone who has deeply inspired you or been influential in facilitating your success thus far. 5. Conclude with Encouraging Words – Retrospect on what was accomplished and speak positively about what lies ahead both for yourself and other colleagues.

What are some of the key elements of a successful farewell speech?

The key elements of a successful farewell speech are to leave your audience with appreciation and gratitude, reflect on your best memories, thank those who have impacted your journey, highlight accomplishments and share a few wise words or memorable quotes .

Start by thanking everyone in the room for attending and taking the time to celebrate with you. Make sure to express your appreciation and gratitude for the unique experience that this role brought you.

Reflect on some of the best moments you experienced while fulfilling this role, focusing on what you learned and how these experiences shaped and motivated you.

Next, thank those who influenced your journey, like mentors, colleagues and friends. Acknowledge their support and ask them to continue providing advice when needed.

Highlight your successes, as they demonstrate how much work was put into achieving these goals , which should be cause for celebration!

Lastly, offer a few nuggets of wisdom or quotes that resonated with you from this experience – not only will it make people think, but it can also leave a lasting impression.

By following these tips and sharing heartfelt words of appreciation and wisdom, you can create a memorable farewell speech that celebrates your accomplishments while looking towards the future.

What are some tips for delivering a memorable farewell speech?

Delivering a memorable farewell speech is no easy feat, but it can be done with a little practice , creativity, and confidence. Here are a few tips to help you make your speech stand out:

1. Know your audience – Keep in mind who will be listening to your speech and tailor it accordingly. Are they colleagues? Friends? Family? Making sure that your speech resonates with the people you’re addressing is key for delivering a compelling message.

2. Be personable – Letting some of your personality shine through in your speech is key for making it memorable. Personal anecdotes, humor, and quotes are all great ways to do this.

3. Focus on the present – Make sure that you address the present feelings of those in attendance instead of solely dwelling on the past or future. Remind everyone why their current relationship has been special and unique and emphasize what brought everyone together in the first place.

4. Avoid cliché phrases – Goodbye speeches often contain phrases like “it’s been a pleasure” or “I wish you all the best” but these can come across as insincere if overused. Instead, try to come up with thoughtful compliments or memorable expressions that reflect the spirit of your goodbye.

5. Leave on a high note – A memorable goodbye speech should end with a moment of gratitude and optimism; this will stay in everyone’s minds as you leave them for good. Express how glad you have been to work or connect with these specific people and express hope for successful futures for them all (including yourself).

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Write a farewell speech for a colleague

How to easily prepare a great goodbye speech for a co-worker in 7 steps

By:  Susan Dugdale  

Writing a great farewell speech for a colleague leaving can seem like a really difficult task.

Just what do you say in goodbye speech for a co-worker?

How do you find the right words?  And where do you start?

To make it easier, follow and complete each of the steps below.  

The end result will be a farewell speech for your colleague you'll be proud to give. And even better still, it'll be a speech they'll be delighted to receive! ☺    

What's on this page

A start to finish 7 step process for writing a goodbye speech for a co-worker, with printable brainstorm and outline documents to use, and a sample speech.

• Step One : Brainstorming - collecting your material [with a printable brainstorm template to use]
• Step Two :  Reviewing your material
• Step Three : Organizing the body of your speech [with a printable speech outline template ]
• Step Four : Brainstorming the conclusion [ with a printable brainstorm template ]
• Step Five : Brainstorming the introduction   [with a printable brainstorm template ]
• Step Six : Linking the pieces together (with a sample speech: text and audio)
• Step Seven : Testing and rehearsing

Step One: Brainstorming - collecting material 

The first step is to gather your material for the body, or main part, of your farewell speech. The easiest way I know to do this is to brainstorm.

How to brainstorm to get ideas

Either download and print off a A4 sized blank brainstorm template to use, the one in the image below, or grab a blank sheet of paper of your own.

Use the four headings below as triggers or prompts to get your ideas flowing.

Put down everything you think of, or associate with your colleague, under each of them. (Just like I've done in the example image above.) Do not stop to get the spelling right. Do not stop to edit. You can do all of that later.

What’s important now is to get down as many content ideas as possible. (If you don’t know something you think is vital to include, make a note to find out later.)

When you can’t think of anything more, move on to the next prompt.

1. Basic Facts – History with Company 

(You need to get these accurate. If you don’t know, or are unsure about anything, ask.)

• How long has your colleague been employed by the company?
• What positions or areas have they worked in over that time?
• What are they leaving to do? Take a new job in another company? Travel? Retire? Go on parental leave? Have they been promoted or transferred to another section or branch of the company? Or is what they’re going to be doing in the future private and they would prefer it not mentioned? Like, for instance, they're going to be dealing with a major health issue and don't want everybody to know about it.

2. Positive qualities or characteristics

What positive qualities or characteristics automatically spring to mind when you think of your colleague?

Note them down, with examples.

For example:

• Fun loving: organized ‘crazy hat’ and t-shirt Fridays.
• Genuinely caring and considerate: made a point of always acknowledging what had been done by someone to get a job done, was careful to NOT overload already stretched workers, watched for signs of stress.
• Honest and respectful: direct and sincere in dealings with others, acknowledged their own part and what had been done by others in the success or otherwise of projects.
• Collaborative: didn’t need to be a solo hero – could easily involve others and share the spotlight – a team player.
• Responsible: took ownership of tasks assigned to them, made sure they delivered the very best they could.

3. Work stories: serious and amusing 

Over the time you’ve been working together what stories can you share that best illustrate your colleague’s positive qualities? Are there major projects or milestone developments that could or should be mentioned? What have you jointly achieved? Highlight your shared successes!

For example: 

• the development of the hugely successful mentoring and ongoing training scheme to nurture junior product developers
• the push to diversify and develop high value niche products

What about genuinely amusing, or funny, stories you know your colleague will be OK about sharing publicly?

• the time they thought it was ‘crazy hat’ Friday and arrived at the office in time to meet the trade delegation from China in the foyer wearing an oversize pink furry top hat decorated with bright yellow daffodils bouncing and nodding at the ends of long green springs.

4. Special skills and their impact

What special skills does your colleague have that you admire or are inspired by? Perhaps they have great communication skills. Or maybe they’re a whizz at collecting, organizing and analyzing information for reports.

What impact did those skills have on you? On the business?

• the ability to pull together useful, easily understood, yet complex, spread sheets quickly

Return to Top

Step Two: Reviewing your material

Go through all of the ideas you've generated.

As you do, consider the purpose of the speech,  the tone you want,  who is going to be listening (the audience) and then choose what you want to use from each section of your brainstorm.

Remember you have 3 -5 minutes speaking time. You can not include everything! Take the best and strongest of what you have.

(For more about the characteristics of a good farewell speech ) 

Step Three: Organizing the body of your speech

Enter what you have chosen under the right headings in the farewell speech outline template .  This material will form the body of your farewell speech.

See the examples below. All these content ideas have been taken from the initial brainstorm (Step One).

1. Basic facts: history with company

• [name of colleague eg. Sam] has been with us 5 years.
• Started as senior product development manager and soon became the new group product development manager.
• Leaving to go travelling!

2. Positive qualities, with examples

• Fun loving: organized ‘crazy hat’ and t-shirt Fridays
• Genuinely caring and considerate: made a point of always acknowledging what had been done by someone to get a job done, was careful to NOT overload already stretched workers, watched for signs of stress
• Collaborative: didn’t need to be a solo hero, could easily involve others and share the spotlight, a team player

3. Work stories

Successful projects:

Funny work story:

• the time they thought it was ‘crazy hat’ Friday and arrived at the office in time to meet the trade delegation from China in the foyer wearing an oversized pink top hat decorated with bright yellow daffodils bouncing at the ends of long green springs.

4. Special skills and their impact

• the ability to communicate effectively with empathy and humor 
• to motivate through example
• to quickly collate and transform vast quantities of information into readable, actionable reports which laid the foundation for the success of the projects. I’ve learned a lot from being alongside them.

Step Four: Brainstorm the conclusion

Use the four headings below as a prompt to note a few ideas to use in your ending.

Do this either on a blank sheet of paper of your own or download and print a blank A4 sized speech conclusion and introduction template to use. 

1. What is the impact of your colleague leaving?

What will you miss? What will change?

I know it's selfish, but how on earth are we going to pull together the monthly reports without you? And who is going to delight us with a new silly hat every week? We definitely have a few challenges ahead.

2. Best wishes

Send your colleague off with your best wishes for whatever it is they are going to do next.

• Despite knowing we’re going to miss you, we’re excited that you’re going to new and challenging opportunity. We can’t think of a better person for the job. You deserve it!

We’re really happy that your dreams have come true: that you’re going to be travelling and exploring the world. Just don’t rub it in too hard and too often with instagrammable moments.

On behalf of us all thank you for everything over your time with us: your encouragement, support, humor, and your leadership.

• Thanks for being a great team mate, for teaching me your special spread sheet skills, and most importantly, for sharing my love of chocolate. I couldn’t have wished for a sweeter colleague!

4. Final comment

• Please don't be a stranger. Our door is always open!
• Please remember that to us you are much more than a colleague. You are a friend, and friends keep in touch.  We look forward to catching up with you sometime soon.
• Go well, go strong, and go knowing we think the world of you, and wish you all the best. Keep in touch!

Step Five: Brainstorm the introduction

Write the speech introduction.  You’ll want a couple of sentences to welcome everyone and to acknowledge why you’ve got together.

(There is space on the printable conclusion/introduction brainstorm template to do this.)

• Good afternoon everyone, and thank you for coming.  As we all know, we've gathered to say goodbye to [name] who is leaving us today to take on a new role as [insert name of role e.g. Director of Product Management] for [insert name of company or organization e.g. The Q-R Group]
• Who else has been marking off the days until [name of person] leaves us? From next Monday there’ll be a gap in our team. They’ll be [what ever it is they’re going to do e.g. basking in the sun on a beach in Bali] and we’ll be wondering just how we’re going to manage without them!
• Thanks for coming along to help farewell [name of person]. It’s great to see so many of you here. I hope you’ve brought your tissues to mop up the tears!

Step Six: Linking the pieces together

In this step you're going to link the pieces together to make a complete speech.

You'll see in my example speech I've used most of the notes from the outline, and I've added words where needed to tie it altogether.

Here is the full text of the farewell speech for Sam: your much respected and liked colleague. ☺

It is 516 words long which will take approximately 3-4 minutes to say. (See how many words per minute in a speech for more information.)

Sample farewell speech for a colleague leaving

"Who else has been marking off the days until Sam finally leaves us? It’s sad but from next Monday there’ll be a huge hole in our team. She’ll be basking in the sun on a beach in Bali and we’ll be wondering how we’re going to manage without her.

Sam’s been with us for five years now. She began as a senior product development manager and it didn’t seem that long before she was promoted to new group product development manager, a position she’s held for last three years.

And now she’s got her passport updated, bought flight tickets, and she’s off travelling.

I know I speak on behalf of all of us when I say how much we’ve enjoyed working alongside you Sam. We’ve love and admire the initiatives you put in place. They tick all the boxes: increased diversification, sustainability, productivity and workplace satisfaction.

Crazy Hat Friday reminds us to not take ourselves too seriously and to laugh! Something we all need to do.

The development of the recently implemented very successful mentoring and ongoing training scheme to nurture junior product developers will help ensure we continue to grow. While the push to diversify and develop high value niche products has already proven itself lucrative. You were right! There was a need.

In our opinion, what made these initiatives even better was how you put them in place. You make it easy for people to cooperate and collaborate with each other. We admire and respect how easily you share the spotlight, how you made a point of always acknowledging what someone had done in order to get a project over the line, and especially how careful you were to NOT overload already stretched workers, and to watch for signs of stress.

You’re a true team player and leader – a person who understands how to draw the best from the people they work with.

So yes, we’re going to miss you."

"To help get over your absence we’ll cheer ourselves up by remembering the time you thought it was ‘crazy hat’ Friday and arrived at the office in time to meet the trade delegation from China in the foyer wearing an oversized lolly-pink top hat decorated with bright yellow daffodils bouncing at the ends of long green springs.

It was the best, and has made us smile ever since!

Joking aside, next Monday, the reality will hit home.

Go well, go strong, and go knowing we think the world of you, and wish you all the best. Keep in touch!"

Step seven: testing and rehearsing

To be absolutely sure you've got the tone and timing right, that you've included everything you should  and haven’t put in anything that would be best left out, read your speech to a couple of trusted colleagues. Be guided by their comments, and alter your speech if needed.

Once you're satisfied that you've done the best you can please rehearse. Practice is what makes the difference! Getting the words sorted is an important step. However rehearsing can take your speech from ordinary to extraordinary!

For more go to: how to rehearse a speech .

Farewell speech for a colleague printables

 Click the links below to access the three google word documents. (Please note, the links will open in a new window.

• Brainstorm template for the body of the speech
• Brainstorm template for the speech conclusion and introduction
• Farewell speech for a colleague sample outline

To make a copy, share, email, download or print the document, click open the drop down 'file' menu as shown in the screenshot below. Then click on the option you want.

Another option for getting a farewell speech done

If you've run out of time to write the speech yourself, or you're finding it too tricky to manage, there's another option you may like to consider.

That is getting me to do it for you. I offer a custom speech writing service and have written numerous farewell speeches for clients over the years. You can find out more about that here: speech writer for hire .

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Speech Writing

Farewell Speech

Farewell Speech - Writing Tips & Examples

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Farewell speeches can be tricky to write. You might worry about saying the right things and making a good impression. 

Don't worry; we're here to help. 

In this blog, we'll show you how to create a touching farewell speech step by step. Whether you're new to this or have some experience, we've got you covered. You'll learn how to speak from the heart and leave a lasting memory with your audience.

• 1. Occasions for Giving a Farewell Speech
• 2. How to Start a Farewell Speech?
• 3. How to Write a Farewell Speech?
• 4. Farewell Speech At Work
• 5. Farewell Speech Examples 
• 6. Writing Tips for a Farewell Speech

Occasions for Giving a Farewell Speech

Farewell speeches are a type of speech that are delivered when someone is parting from a group, organization, or event.

They can be for retirement, leaving a job, or stepping down from a leadership role. Students often give farewell speeches during high school or college graduations. 

These speeches mark the end of an important chapter in their lives. Students may also give farewell speeches when leaving clubs, sports teams, or student councils.

These speeches allow people to express gratitude, share memories, and inspire their peers. 

So, it's important to carefully keep in mind the context for the farewell speech before you start writing one.

How to Start a Farewell Speech?

If you want to leave an impression on the audience, the key is to write a brilliant speech. A good speech can not be written without a plan. No matter if you are writing a casual speech or a very formal address, planning is essential. 

Before you jump to the writing process of a farewell speech, learn how to make a start. Only good planning will let you execute the ideas successfully and effectively. 

To make a start, follow the steps given below:

Step 1 - Identify the Audience 

Think about your audience. Who will be listening to your speech? Is it colleagues, friends, fellow classmates, family, or a mix of these? 

Consider what they might expect from your speech and what kind of tone and message would resonate with them. Your speech should be relatable to your audience.

Step 2 - Brainstorm Relevant Ideas 

Now that you know your audience, make a list of the key points you want to include in your speech. 

These could be memories, achievements, lessons learned, or well-wishes. Brainstorming these ideas will give you a clear direction for your speech.

Step 3 - Gather Stories and Anecdotes

Collect stories and anecdotes that relate to your key points. Shared stories and experiences can add a personal touch to your speech and make it more engaging. 

These stories should support your main message and create a connection with your audience.

Step 4 - Create an Outline 

Although farewell speeches are informal and more personal, they still require a particular outline. 

So, before you dive into writing, create a rough outline for your speech. 

This can be a simple bullet point list of the main sections of your speech, including the opening, body, and conclusion. Outlining helps you organize your thoughts and create a format for your speech. 

How to Write a Farewell Speech?

If the planning of your goodbye speech is intense and structured, the execution of the ideas will become easier. Once all the prewriting steps are taken effectively, follow the writing steps provided below:

Step 1 - Create an Interesting Opening 

When you write a farewell address, you have the opportunity to be creative and personal. Begin with an attention-grabbing opening to captivate your audience. 

Dull beginnings can lose your audience's interest quickly. You can kickstart your speech with humor, a casual statement, a meaningful quote, or a relatable anecdote. 

After the hook, share your feelings about leaving the place or position. Greet your audience and briefly state the purpose of the event.

Struggling to come up with a good way to start your speech? Check out these creative ways to start a speech and grab your audience’s attention!

Step 2 - Create a Strong Body 

The body of your speech contains the heart of your message. Here, you'll share ideas, stories, events, and key points. Be sure to provide relevant information. While crafting the body of your speech:

• Be Personal: Make your farewell speech relatable by using personal anecdotes and a conversational tone. Engage your audience with your words and emotions.
• Keep It Concise: Lengthy speeches can lose their impact. Keep it concise and straightforward. Focus on events and moments involving others, avoiding excessive self-focus. Steer clear of repeating or over-explaining.

Step 3 - Provide Closure 

Conclude your farewell speech by summarizing the main points and expressing gratitude. You can also extend well wishes or share a relevant quote. This closing part wraps up your speech on a thoughtful note.

Step 4 - Review and Practice

Before delivering your speech, review it thoroughly. Read your speech aloud to check the tone and flow. Practice your delivery to ensure it comes across as genuine and not overly scripted.

Farewell speeches are given in various settings and to diverse audiences.

Farewell Speech At Work

Saying goodbye at work, be it in a retirement speech or when leaving colleagues, marks a significant moment in your career. Let's look at two common work occasions for giving a farewell speech:

Farewell Speech for Boss

This speech is given when your manager is leaving the company or moving to a new position. It includes an introduction, appreciation for their leadership, personal anecdotes, well wishes, and a warm farewell.

Here’s a sample speech for biding your boss goodbye:

Farewell Speech For Boss

Farewell Speech for Colleagues

Farewell speeches for colleagues are given when a team member is leaving the organization, transferring to a different department, or relocating.

Here’s an example of how you can create a speech for your co-worker:

Farewell Speech For Colleague

Farewell Speech Examples 

As discussed, farewell speeches are given on many occasions. Some of the most popular farewell speeches have to be American presidential speeches. These speeches reflect on the tenure, express gratitude to the nation, and offer guidance for the future.

Here is a segment from Harry Truman’s presidential farewell speech , 1953:

Here are some farewell speech examples for students and teachers: 

Farewell Speech For Teachers

Are you a teacher by profession who is leaving the job or position from a certain school? Then you might be asked to deliver a farewell speech. The example provided below will help you write an impactful speech.

Sample Farewell Speech for Teachers

Farewell Speech for Students

Students often find writing farewell speeches daunting. Whether it is a graduation speech or just a goodbye speech in a classroom, students have no idea what to say.

If you need to give a farewell address at school, here are some samples:

Sample Farewell Speech for Students

Farewell Speech by Students Leaving School

Farewell Speech in English

Farewell Speech for Seniors

Need more sample speeches? Explore these speech examples of multiple types of speeches to get inspiration!

Farewell Speech for Friends

Saying goodbye to friends or family members is the hardest but delivering a speech to them is the easiest. 

As it is an informal type of speech, people can start from anywhere and say anything. But if you are not sure how to say goodbye to friends, take help from the example below. 

Sample Farewell Speech for Friends

Writing Tips for a Farewell Speech

While there are no strict rules for speechwriting, some tips can make your address memorable.

• Share Personal Experiences - Share your stories and incidents to make your goodbye address memorable. Through your personal experiences, state how things and actions of others influenced you and your life
• Show Gratitude - Showing gratitude is the right attitude. Thank people and their gestures with an open heart.
• Keep it Short - Avoid dragging your speech and share interesting information only. 
• Use Simple Words - Avoid using bombastic vocabulary. You are not there to impress anyone but just to be grateful for the efforts. 
• Be Original - Copying the addresses of others is not the right choice. Be unique and original and write your content for the speech. 

Now that you've gained insights into crafting a meaningful farewell speech, you can create a memorable and heartfelt address. 

However, if you're feeling lost and need assistance in crafting a farewell speech, let our legit essay writing service help. Our team of experts boasts years of experience in delivering high-quality speeches. 

Just buy speech from our writers and they will undoubtedly exceed your expectations!

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How to Write a Farewell Speech – Tips & Samples

Amanda Green was born in a small town in the west of Scotland, where everyone knows everyone. I joined the Toastmasters 15 years ago, and I served in nearly every office in the club since then. I love helping others gain confidence and skills they can apply in every day life.

A farewell speech is one of the best ways to send off a departing co-worker, friend, or family member. It allows you to express gratitude for their contributions and wish them well in their new endeavors.

Additionally, a farewell speech can be a great opportunity to reflect on shared memories and offer wisdom for the future. Let’s see what the best farewell speech looks like based on different situations. I’ll explain everything plus include sample farewell speeches. 

Farewell or Goodbye Speeches

As you move on to the next phase in your life, it is important to take a second to reflect on special memories and all you’ve accomplished. A farewell speech is a perfect opportunity to do just that.

Whether you are retiring, resigning, or moving to a new company, a farewell speech is a chance to look back on your time at your current job and express your gratitude for the experiences you have had. It is also an opportunity to say goodbye to your colleagues and wish them all the best in their future.

What Is a Farewell Speech?

A farewell speech is a type of speech that is typically given at the end of a person’s tenure in a particular role. It’s often a professional goodbye but with a relaxed tone given at a farewell party or event.

For example, a student might give a farewell speech upon graduating from college, or an employee might give a farewell speech upon retiring from a company. Sometimes, a person might also give a farewell speech when leaving a particular organization or position, even if they aren’t retiring.

A prepared farewell speech usually contains personal memories, thank yous, feelings about the people involved, and a simple goodbye in person.

Can We Write Your Speech?

Get your audience blown away with help from a professional speechwriter. Free proofreading and copy-editing included.

Farewell speeches are typically intended to be positive and uplifting and to thank those who have helped the speaker during their time in the role. They may also include words of wisdom or advice for those who remain.

What Should I Say in a Farewell Speech?

When leaving an organization or group, it is customary to give a farewell speech. This speech is a chance to thank the people who have helped you during your time with the organization and to wish them well in the future.

You may also want to share some advice or words of wisdom with the group. When preparing your speech, consider what you would like to say and what message you would like to leave with the group.

It’s also important to be mindful of the tone of your speech. A farewell speech should be positive and uplifting, so avoid dwelling on negative experiences or speaking ill of the organization or group.

Take the time to write your thoughts and practice delivering your speech before the big day. With a little preparation, you can deliver a farewell speech that is both memorable and meaningful.

How Do I Start a Farewell Speech?

When giving a farewell speech, it is common to start by thanking the audience for attending. This helps to set a polite and appreciative tone for the rest of the speech.

It is also common to give a brief overview of the event or occasion that is being farewelled. For example, you might talk about how much fun the party was or how successful the project was.

This helps to create a sense of shared experience and nostalgia. Finally, it is common to finish with a positive message or thought. This could be something as simple as wishing everyone all the best for the future.

By starting with thanking the audience, you can ensure that your farewell speech is polite and engaging.

What Do You Say in a Goodbye Speech for a Colleague?

Finding the right words to say when saying goodbye to a colleague can be difficult. After all, you want to express your appreciation for their contributions while also acknowledging the sadness of their departure. Here are some of my suggestions for what to say in a goodbye speech to a colleague.

What They Contributed

First, take a moment to reflect on the positive impact that your colleague has had on your life and career. What have they taught you? How have they made you a better person? Be sure to express your gratitude for their guidance and mentorship.

Best Wishes

Next, wish them all the best in their future endeavors. Whether they are moving on to another job or retiring, let them know that you believe in their ability to achieve great things.

Finally, offer your support if they ever need anything. Let them know that you’re always there for them, whether it’s a reference for a new job or just someone to talk to.

Saying goodbye to a colleague can be tough, but expressing your appreciation and support can make it a bit easier for both of you.

What Do You Say in a Short Leaving Speech?

It is often said that brevity is the soul of wit. This is certainly true when it comes to giving a leaving speech. Whether you are stepping down from a club presidency or saying farewell to your colleagues at a retirement party,

it is important to keep your remarks brief and to the point. A few key elements should be included in any leaving speech.

First, take a moment to express your gratitude for the opportunity that you have been given. Next, focus on the future and discuss exciting new opportunities. Finally, leave your audience with a positive message, and encourage them to continue working hard in the months and years to come.

How Do You Thank in a Farewell Speech?

One of the most important elements of a farewell speech is thanking the people who have helped you along the way. Whether you are leaving a job, a team, or an institution, it is important to take a moment to express your gratitude.

Thank those who have been directly involved in your journey. This may include mentors, colleagues, or supervisors.

Next, thank the larger community that has supported you. This could include friends, family, or simply those who have taken an interest in your work.

Don’t forget to thank yourself! After all, it is your hard work and dedication that have brought you to this point.

Tips for Delivering a Memorable Farewell Speech at Work

I’ve written a number of speeches in my life, and these are some of my tips on how to do it right.

Draft an Outline

I’m insistent about outlines in every aspect of my life, from the next book I’m writing to an article and, yes, speeches. When preparing to give a farewell speech, one of the most important things you can do is create an outline. This will help you to organize your thoughts and ensure that your speech flows smoothly.

A good outline will also help you to keep your speech within a reasonable length. If you need help figuring out where to start, there are a few key points you should always include in your farewell speech.

First, thank the audience for their time and attention. Next, introduce yourself and explain why you’re giving the speech. Then, give an overview of the main points you’ll be covering. Finally, conclude with a call to action or a personal message.

Include Relevant Details

Giving a farewell speech can be difficult. You want to say goodbye to your friends and colleagues in a memorable and appropriate way. One of the best ways to do this is to include relevant details in your speech.

For example, you might tell a story about a time when you worked together on a project or helped each other out. This will help to personalize your speech and make it more relatable for your audience.

Including specific details also helps to show that you have been paying attention to the people you are saying goodbye to. It shows that you value their friendship and want to remember the good times you have shared.

Expand on Your Ideas With the Right Tone

Any good speech, whether for a graduation, a retirement, or any other occasion, should have a clear, concise, and cohesive message. It should also be engaging, drawing in the audience and leaving them with a lasting impression.

However, choosing the right tone is one of the most important aspects of giving a speech. The tone of your voice can convey confidence, authority, and sincerity, or it can come across as nervous and uncertain.

If you want to give a farewell speech that will be remembered fondly, it is essential to choose the right tone. A confident and sincere tone will let your audience know that you are sincere in your words and that you believe in what you are saying.

Conversely, a nervous or uncertain tone will make your audience question your message and may leave them feeling uninspired.

Add Humor When Appropriate

As anyone who has ever given a speech knows, it is often difficult to find the right words to say. This is especially true when giving a farewell speech, as you want to strike the right balance between appreciation and levity.

One way to do this is by adding humor when appropriate. A well-placed joke can help to lighten the mood and show your audience that you are comfortable with the situation.

Also, humor can help break the ice, especially if you speak to a group of people who do not know each other well.

Just be sure to keep your jokes tasteful and appropriate for the occasion. With a little humor, you can give a farewell speech that will be remembered for all the right reasons.

Edit Your Speech

When giving a farewell speech, it is important to ensure that your words are well-chosen and carefully edited. This is not a time for spontaneous ramblings or off-the-cuff remarks.

Your farewell speech should be memorable, which means taking the time to edit your words to be powerful and impactful.

There are a few benefits to editing your speech. First, it will help you to choose the right words. You want your words to be meaningful and to capture the essence of what you are trying to say.

Second, editing will help you clarify your thoughts and communicate your message. And finally, editing will help ensure that your speech is free of any grammatical errors.

Ask for a Trusted Colleague’s Opinion

For several reasons, asking for a trusted colleague’s opinion before giving a farewell speech to colleagues can be beneficial. First, it can help to ensure that the speech is memorable and appropriate for the occasion.

It ensures that the speech is well-received by the audience. You can test to see if you’re comfortable with your speech and check that the speech is tailored to the individual’s needs.

Finally, it can help to ensure that the speaker has the opportunity to practice before delivering the speech. Overall, asking for a trusted colleague’s opinion can be a helpful way to prepare for a professional speech of farewell.

Farewell Speech Examples

Use these prompts to create original speeches for your farewell or goodbye. They can be tweaked for funeral speeches, formal farewell speeches, or any other personalized speeches you need.

Example of Farewell Resignation Speech

“Thank you all for being here today. I’m honored to be given the opportunity to say a few words on behalf of everyone.

First, I want to say how much I’ve enjoyed working with everyone over the past year. It’s been a pleasure getting to know you all, and I truly appreciate your support.

As many of you know, I’ve been offered an exciting new opportunity that I’ll be starting next month. While I’m excited about this new chapter in my life, I’m also sad to leave such a great team behind. I assure you that I’ll be available to help with the transition in any way possible.

And, of course, I’ll stay in touch. Thank you all again for everything. I wish you all the best in the future.”

Example of Farewell Speech at Graduation

“As we stand on the threshold of a new phase in our lives, it is natural to feel both excited and apprehensive about what lies ahead. But no matter what the future holds, we will always remember our time together. This school has been our second home, and we will always treasure the fond memories we have made.

As we go our separate ways, let us never forget the lessons we have learned. Let us use them to make the world a better place for all. And let us stay in touch, so we can continue supporting and encouraging each other as we pursue our dreams.

Thank you all for everything. Good luck and best wishes for your future endeavors!”

Example of Farewell Retirement Speeches

“It is with mixed emotions that I stand before you today to deliver my farewell speech. On the one hand, I am sad to be leaving a job I have loved for many years. But on the other hand, I am excited to begin this next chapter in my life.

Retirement allows me to finally pursue some of my long-held dreams and goals. And although I will miss everyone here at the office, I take comfort in knowing we will all remain in touch. I want to thank each and every one of you for your support over the years. It has been truly appreciated.

And although I am looking forward to this next phase of my life, I will always cherish the memories we shared. Thank you.”

Example of Farewell Speech for Colleague Retirement

“On behalf of everyone here at ABC Company, I would like to say a few words to celebrate John Doe’s retirement.

John has been with us for over thirty years, and in that time, he has made an indelible mark on our organization. He has been a mentor to many of us, and his expert advice will be sorely missed.

We are all better for having known John, and we wish him all the best in his retirement. Thank you, John, for everything.”

The Bottom Line

A farewell speech is an important opportunity to express gratitude, offer words of wisdom and a note of memories, and say goodbye to those who have been important in your life. They can hold a humorous tone or lean more towards a simple and respectful tone. 

Farewell speeches can also be a chance to say goodbye to a person or group you may never see again. As such, they offer an opportunity to express sentiments that might otherwise go unsaid.

4 Best Tips on How to Memorize a Speech Quickly

How to Write a Retirement Speech – Samples & Ideas

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Crafting a Meaningful Leaving Speech for Colleague: Examples and Tips

Crafting a farewell speech for a colleague can feel overwhelmingly challenging at times . In my own journey to find the perfect words, I dove deep into research, poring over more than 50 examples of parting messages.

Through this process, I discovered some truly effective strategies for composing meaningful speeches . This article is poised to pass along those insightful tips and examples, ensuring you’re equipped to pen a touching goodbye .

Let’s dive in!

Table of Contents

Key Takeaways

• When crafting a farewell speech for a colleague, start by outlining your thoughts to cover all important points. Include personal stories and relevant details about your time together.
• Use the right tone in your speech; it should be heartfelt and genuine . If appropriate, add humor to make the farewell memorable and lighten the mood.
• Seek feedback on your draft to ensure clarity and impact. Using warm gestures and an engaging tone helps connect with your audience, making the message more effective.
• Personalizing your speech by sharing unique memories makes it special for everyone involved. Expressing gratitude highlights the positive impact of the colleague’s contributions.
• In today’s virtual work environment, adapting speeches for online platforms is essential. Ensuring sincerity in our goodbyes maintains connections even when we’re not face-to-face.

What is a Work Farewell Speech?

A work farewell speech is something you give when a colleague is leaving. It’s your chance to say goodbye and share how they’ve impacted the team. I remember crafting my first farewell speech; it was nerve-wracking, but also a beautiful moment to express gratitude and good wishes.

In Toastmasters, I learned that these speeches are not just about saying goodbye. They’re opportunities for expressing appreciation , sharing memorable stories , and wishing the departing colleague success in their next chapter.

Giving one shows you care enough to acknowledge someone’s contribution in a personal way.

Every farewell speech is a bridge that connects past memories with future hopes.

How to Write a Memorable Farewell Speech for a Colleague

Draft a clear outline and include relevant details in the speech. Write with the right tone and add humor when appropriate. Ensure to edit and seek feedback for improvement.

Draft an outline

When crafting a farewell speech for a colleague, it’s essential to start with an outline . This helps organize your thoughts and ensures you cover all the important points. Begin by jotting down key details about your colleague and your working relationship.

Then, think about the tone you want to convey – whether it’s heartfelt, humorous, or a mix of both. Next, consider adding personal anecdotes or inside jokes to make the speech more relatable.

Finally, don’t forget to edit and seek feedback from others for valuable input.

Include relevant details

Crafting a meaningful leaving speech for a colleague is important to express gratitude and well wishes. When writing the speech, you need to draft an outline , include relevant details , write with the right tone, add humor when appropriate, and edit as well as receive feedback.

These steps help in creating a memorable farewell speech that resonates with your colleague.

Examples of farewell speeches for colleagues can be found in various scenarios such as retirement or new job opportunities. By personalizing your speech and sharing stories while expressing gratitude and well wishes, you can make it more meaningful.

It’s important to be authentic and emotional while using appropriate gestures and tone during the delivery of the speech. Lastly, consider the significance of delivering a farewell speech in today’s virtual work environment .

Write with the right tone

When crafting your leaving speech, it’s important to strike the right tone that resonates with your colleagues. A conversational and warm tone helps connect with the audience, making your farewell speech memorable and heartfelt.

Being genuine and expressing sincere emotions is key in conveying appreciation for the time spent together while also celebrating the future endeavors of your colleague. Using humor where appropriate can lighten the mood and leave a lasting impression.

As a public speaking beginner , I learned firsthand how impactful the right tone can be in delivering an effective farewell speech.

Add humor when appropriate

Now, let’s sprinkle in some humor to keep things light and fun. For instance, you could share a funny work-related anecdote or a lighthearted joke that your colleague would appreciate.

It’s important not to force it, but when done right, a bit of humor can really lift the mood and make your farewell speech memorable for everyone involved.

Edit and receive feedback

Once the speech is drafted, it’s crucial to edit and receive feedback . This ensures that the message is clear and impactful for the audience. Feedback from others can provide valuable insights and help fine-tune the speech for maximum effectiveness .

Examples of Farewell Speeches for Colleagues

Explore compelling examples of farewell speeches for colleagues, including retirement and new job opportunities.

As a public speaking beginner, here are some simple tips for giving a memorable retirement farewell speech. Firstly, personalize your speech by sharing stories or experiences with the colleague who is retiring.

Next, express gratitude and well wishes for their future endeavors. And remember to use an appropriate tone and gestures while delivering the speech to convey warmth and sincerity in your words.

Now let me share examples of retirement farewell speeches that you can draw inspiration from:

– Remembering shared memories and experiences

– Wishing them joy and relaxation in their retirement

New job opportunity

I know how nerve-wracking it can be to prepare a farewell speech for a colleague who’s moving on to a new job opportunity. It’s important to personalize your message by highlighting their achievements and expressing well wishes as they embark on this exciting journey.

Consider sharing specific examples of their contributions and the positive impact they’ve had on the team. Remember, keep it genuine and don’t shy away from adding humor if it fits their personality – this will make the speech memorable for everyone.

As you draft your farewell speech for a colleague’s new job opportunity, consider how you can express gratitude while sprinkling in some light-hearted moments. This will help create an emotional connection with your audience and leave a lasting impression on the departing colleague.

Tips for Giving a Meaningful Farewell Speech

1. Personalize your speech to make it unique and memorable.

2. Share stories and anecdotes to create a meaningful connection with the audience.

Personalize your speech

When giving your leaving speech for a colleague, it’s essential to personalize it. Share memories and experiences that are unique to your relationship with the person you’re saying goodbye to.

Use their name and talk about specific moments you’ve shared together. This will show them how much they mean to you and make your farewell speech more heartfelt .

Now let’s move on to “Share stories and anecdotes”.

Share stories and anecdotes

When crafting a meaningful leaving speech, it’s impactful to share personal stories and anecdotes . These experiences make the speech relatable and memorable for colleagues. For instance, I once shared a funny office mishap to lighten the mood during my farewell speech.

This connected with my coworkers and made the moment special.

Sharing stories allows for an emotional connection with the audience, making your parting words more engaging and authentic . When a colleague left our team, they recounted an inspiring story of teamwork that resonated deeply with everyone .

Express gratitude and well wishes

When giving a farewell speech, express gratitude for the support and well wishes to your colleague as they embark on their new journey. Share heartfelt appreciation for their contributions and wish them success in all future endeavors.

Moving forward, let’s explore the art of personalizing your speech to create an impactful goodbye message .

Be authentic and emotional

When giving a farewell speech, it’s essential to be authentic and emotional . Share genuine feelings and express gratitude with sincerity. Connecting emotionally can resonate with your colleague and leave a lasting impact.

It’s okay to show vulnerability by sharing personal stories or memories – this can make your speech more relatable and heartfelt, leaving a positive impression on your coworker.

Remember that authenticity is key in delivering an emotional farewell speech to a colleague; it helps create a genuine connection . Use words that convey true emotions, reflecting honesty and warmth in your message.

Use appropriate gestures and tone

Remember the importance of a farewell speech in the virtual work environment.

Transitioning from appropriate gestures and tone to the importance of a farewell speech in the virtual work environment, one must adapt their approach. In this technologically-driven era , virtual farewells allow us to connect and bid adieu with sincerity and warmth.

Adapting our speeches for online platforms is crucial to maintaining genuine connections and expressing gratitude as we part ways.

Writing a goodbye speech for a colleague isn’t easy for me. Crafting words that capture our shared moments, respect, and wishes for their future takes thought and care. I learned to overcome my fear of public speaking, and now, sharing tips on crafting meaningful farewell speeches brings all that full circle.

Let’s talk about Dr. Emily Stanton, an expert in communication and workplace relationships with over 20 years of experience. She has a Ph.D. in Organizational Communication from Stanford University.

Her work focuses on how we connect at work and the impact of those connections on our professional lives. She’s published numerous articles on effective workplace communication.

Dr. Stanton says crafting a meaningful leaving speech is more than just saying goodbye; it’s about acknowledging the journey you’ve shared with your colleague. It strengthens bonds even as paths diverge.

She emphasizes safety in emotional expression , ethical acknowledgment of everyone’s contributions, and transparency in conveying genuine sentiments without causing discomfort or misunderstanding.

Dr. Stanton believes integrating personal stories makes the speech resonate more deeply with both the colleague who is leaving and those staying behind—making it memorable for everyone involved.

However, she also points out potential drawbacks: navigating personal anecdotes can be tricky if not chosen carefully to avoid embarrassment or misunderstandings among diverse audiences.

Ultimately, Dr. Stanton sees great value in putting effort into farewell speeches as they offer closure while opening new doors to future reconnections.

Ryan Nelson is the founder of Speak2Impress, a platform dedicated to helping individuals master the art of public speaking. Despite having a crippling fear of public speaking for many years, Ryan overcame his anxiety through diligent practice and active participation in Toastmasters. Now residing in New York City, he is passionate about sharing his journey and techniques to empower others to speak with confidence and clarity.

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Farewell Speech at Work- Examples

We all have envisaged giving a farewell speech when we retire or leave a job. Farewell speeches fancy each one of us. But how to deliver a memorable farewell speech still confuses many. We all want our farewell speech to leave an impact on the audience. It should be something they would cherish forever. This article tends to make the job easier for you. The article will elucidate upon what are the things to ponder upon while writing and delivering a farewell speech, with the aid of examples. Let’s know about the Farewell Speech at Work.

Know what a farewell speech is

A professional gesture, farewell speech is usually delivered when an individual is retiring from his job or leaving the job to chase better career opportunities. Not every employee leaving the job gives a farewell speech, it depends on the company. Usually, employees who have worked with the company for a long time, are entitled to give a farewell speech. The speech is delivered either at the farewell party organized by the company or at official parties and ceremonies of the company. 

Your farewell speech should start with an introduction of yourself. You can also start the speech with any relevant quote, this helps in grabbing the attention of the audience. The introduction should include your designation or position at the office. You can make the introduction a blend of formal and informal by including what your colleagues used to call you. This might make people laugh and feel connected. 

Once you pour in all your ideas, you should formulate a strong conclusion which sums up your speech. It should be a gist of all the years you have spent in the company. Try to give the conclusion an emotional touch because you know farewell speeches ought to be emotional.

Delivering the speech

While delivering the speech, you should keep a check on your tone. Make sure you do not speak in a violent or monotonous tone. The tone should be relaxed, jovial, and emotional, depending upon the sentence you are speaking. You have to be cautious with your tone as this is a farewell speech at work.

A major thing that one needs to keep in mind while delivering any speech is to make eye contact. Even while giving your farewell speech, you need to make eye contact with the audience. This makes the speech engaging and interesting. People say eyes say a lot. This is indeed the truth. You can make eye gestures and make your speech more impactful.

Farewell Speech for Retirement

Good evening everyone, 

To the head of the Human Resources Department, Mr. Styles, I found a great friend and an advisor in you. You have always been there during my ups and downs in the company. From reviewing my presentations to reviewing this farewell speech, you have done it all. I feel blessed to have got a colleague-cum-friend in you. Thank you for always being there.

This was an example of a farewell speech at work when the person is taking retirement from his career.

Farewell speech for leaving the job to avail new opportunities

As I leave this company to pursue yet another dream of starting something of my own, I feel overwhelmed. This company has taught me everything from the basics. I had never envisaged a life out of this abode of mine. This company marks the beginning of my career. I am glad that I am leaving with many learning experiences.

The two speeches are different yet the same. Both are emotional and sentimental and are used to bid farewell to colleagues and co-workers. However, one is about getting retired and bidding farewell to work-life while the other is about stepping into a new world of more opportunities. 

Difference between a farewell speech and a farewell speech at the office

Frequently asked questions (faqs).

Should the farewell speech at work be formal or informal?

There are certain things that you have to avoid while writing and delivering a farewell speech. Some of them are- not to use informal and slang language for a farewell speech at work. Do not forget to show your gratitude towards your colleagues and boss. Do not keep your speech too long, it should be short and crisp. These are some of the don’ts to be kept in mind while giving a farewell speech at work.

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How to Make a Farewell Speech

Last Updated: December 30, 2022 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Patrick Muñoz . Patrick is an internationally recognized Voice & Speech Coach, focusing on public speaking, vocal power, accent and dialects, accent reduction, voiceover, acting and speech therapy. He has worked with clients such as Penelope Cruz, Eva Longoria, and Roselyn Sanchez. He was voted LA's Favorite Voice and Dialect Coach by BACKSTAGE, is the voice and speech coach for Disney and Turner Classic Movies, and is a member of Voice and Speech Trainers Association. There are 10 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 278,108 times.

Writing a farewell speech can seem like a daunting task. It can be hard to find the right words for your last day, whether it's your graduation, retirement, or any other occasion. You want to try to sum up your experiences, thank everyone involved, and offer wishes for the future, and do it all with grace and charm. This is a difficult task, but with some careful thought, you can write the perfect farewell speech.

Writing Your Speech

• Your outline can be as detailed as you'd like.
• Your outline should contain spaces for an opening, the body of the speech, and a tight conclusion.
• An outline doesn’t contain the complete text of the speech. It simply has bullet points and summaries of each section.

• An ice breaker might be some kind of inside joke or chant that everyone present would know about and be able to appreciate.
• If one of the anecdotes you wrote down is particularly funny or snappy, it could make a good opener as well.
• Sometimes a quote or inspirational message can work well as an opener, though you may want to save this for your closer.

• When speaking generally or summarizing, remember to, “show, don’t tell.” This means that it’s usually stronger to be specific and give details or examples, rather than generalizing.
• An example of “show, don’t tell” is saying, “On my first day of work, I noticed that half of the office stayed an extra half hour after closing time to make sure the reports were done,” instead of, “Everyone here always works extra hard.”

• You can search for great quotes online by subject. There are quotes for almost every occasion.
• If you’re particularly clever, you can end with a punchline that ties together with a joke or anecdote you told at the beginning of your speech.
• For example, if you started the speech with something like, “I’ll never forget my first day here. I thought I was doomed when I walked in the door and saw that I was twenty minute late,” you could close the speech with, “Well, I guess that’s all I have time for. Look at this. Five years later, and still running twenty minutes behind.”

Choosing What to Say

• Try writing down a narrative history of your time at this place. It doesn’t have to all be appropriate for a speech. Simply write it down to help yourself remember everything you’ve done, and to help yourself realize what has been the most meaningful to you.
• Your narrative may start with something like, “I came to work here right out of college and had never lived on my own before. I was so shy that I didn’t make any friends for nine months. Then I got that promotion a year later and formed close bonds within my new department.”
• It’s okay to write down things that were difficult. You can edit them out later. You might include something like, “I hated when we had to move to the new office.” When you edit your speech, this may turn into a funny anecdote, or maybe you’ll say something like, “Even when we had to move to the new office, I couldn’t help but notice how cheerful my colleagues managed to be in a hard time.”

• An anecdote might start out something like this: “I’ll always remember my third day of school. Spencer and I had been assigned to sit next to each other on the bus, but on the third day, my grandmother followed me onto the bus and declared she’d need to have a word with Spencer…”
• Anecdotes can be great ways to express appreciation for a specific person, or to illustrate something you appreciate about the place as a whole. For example, the above anecdote might end with something like, “...and of course, he’s never left my side since then,” or, “...which is how I knew that this school community would finally be a place that I’d feel at home.”

• Think of things you’re grateful for, or moments that helped you become who you are. Make a note of something like, “when John stood up for me freshman year,” or, “when the boss actually brought my proposal to the board and I realized that my voice mattered.”
• Think about the reasons you’re sad to go. This could be something like, “I know that a group of people who look out for each other like this is a rare thing to find,” or, “I learned so much from each person here, it will be sad to move on without everyone.”

• You can offer wishes for the group in general, such as, “Of course, next year, I’m sure you’ll all finally get to nationals without me on the team.”
• You can also offer individual good wishes, such as, “Janet, I hope you have an easy transition to being vice president; I know you’ll do great. Richard, good luck taking over the entire smoothing department.”
• You can also state hopes and wishes you have for yourself, such as, “I don’t know what’s next for me, but I certainly hope it involves people as kind as all of you.”

Delivering Your Speech

• Go over any parts that seem confusing or that don’t flow easily. Make any notes or changes that will be helpful when delivering the speech.
• Time the speech when you recite it.

• A farewell speech should usually be about five minutes long. Ten minutes is acceptable in certain circumstances. More than that should be reserved for extremely special circumstances, such as when a head of state resigns.

• Know that you may make a mistake. Be prepared for this. Don't beat yourself up if it happens. Acknowledge it and move on. You can even laugh at yourself to help put the audience at ease.
• Focus on people who seem to connect to your speech. If they're nodding, smiling, or have their eyes glued to you, focus on them. Their energy will help give you confidence.

Community Q&A

• When in doubt, keep it positive. People will keep the memory of the positive feelings for a long time after you’re gone. Thanks Helpful 2 Not Helpful 0
• If you’re going to make jokes about others, make sure they’re clearly light hearted and couldn’t be perceived as mean. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0

You Might Also Like

• ↑ Patrick Muñoz. Voice & Speech Coach. Expert Interview. 12 November 2019.
• ↑ https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/topics/zv7fqp3/articles/z4w96v4
• ↑ https://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffschmitt/2013/07/16/10-keys-to-writing-a-speech/?sh=3eff35264fb7
• ↑ https://finley-h.schools.nsw.gov.au/content/dam/doe/sws/schools/f/finley-h/localcontent/how_to_write_a_speech.pdf
• ↑ https://www.ohlone.edu/sites/default/files/documents/imported/samplestudentnarrativespeech-outline.pdf
• ↑ https://canvas.santarosa.edu/courses/22355/assignments/92237?module_item_id=350284
• ↑ https://open.lib.umn.edu/publicspeaking/chapter/9-2-the-attention-getter-the-first-step-of-an-introduction/
• ↑ https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/giving-a-farewell-speech-at-work
• ↑ http://www.greatspeech.co.uk/farewell-speech-if-leaving-company.html
• ↑ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/nikki-stone/confident-public-speaking_b_4058830.html

About This Article

Before you make your farewell speech, write an outline to organize your thoughts. Open with a joke or funny anecdote to grab the audience’s attention. The body of your speech should summarize your time there and include specific stories to express your feelings about the people and place. Conclude your speech with a quote or a punchline, depending on if you want to leave on a serious or funny note. Then, once your speech is written, practice so it will flow easily. For tips on how to give your speech confidently, keep reading! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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55+ Ways to Say Goodbye to Coworkers When You Retire

Updated 12/28/2023

Published 03/9/2020

Belinda McLeod, BA in Secondary Education

Contributing writer

Cake values integrity and transparency. We follow a strict editorial process to provide you with the best content possible. We also may earn commission from purchases made through affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more in our affiliate disclosure .

Are you closer and closer to checking off items from your retirement bucket list ? Congratulations! 

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• Premium Pastel Set of Succulents ($76.29)
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Jump ahead to these sections:

Funny ways to say goodbye to coworkers, ways to say goodbye to your boss when you retire, heartfelt ways to say goodbye to coworkers, email messages to send on your last day.

• Short Goodbye Messages for Retirement
• Professional or Formal Goodbye Messages for Retirement

How to Say Goodbye to a Coworker When They Retire

You may be expected to say a few words to your fellow staff members as you embark on your retirement. Maybe you’ve been writing your speech in your head for years, or maybe you have no idea of what to say. Regardless of whether you have a few talking points or not, here are some snippets from goodbye speeches that may inspire you to write your own.

Don’t forget to use your own words when you say goodbye to your coworkers. It’s always better to speak from the heart instead of sounding polished and unemotional.

Tip: Pair your goodbye with small tokens of appreciation for everyone in the office. We like sets of succulents to give out . If it doesn't make sense to buy gifts for each person, try putting out a big snack basket, like this one , on the day of your departure.

You may have quite a few inside jokes if you’ve spent years interacting with your coworkers. This is especially true if you deal with the general public or if a colorful bunch of characters works in your office. 

One of the best ways to say goodbye is to refer to funny things that have happened in the office over the years. Here are some general examples. 

“One of the saddest things about retiring before tax season begins is that I will no longer be able to work with dear Mrs. Jones. Someone else will have to break it to her that she can’t claim her 14 cats as dependents.”

“Before I tell you about what I will miss about working in this office, let me tell you the things I will gladly leave behind: TPS reports, audits, the jammed printer, the slow elevator, and bad coffee.”

“Whenever I need a laugh, I’ll just think back about all the practical jokes Jim always played on Dwight. Putting Dwight’s stapler in Jello was such a fantastic practical joke. It almost makes me sad to retire, knowing that I will miss the next laugh.”

“I’m not sure if my wife is looking forward to my retirement or not. She read me this quote the other day: ‘When a man retires, his wife gets twice as much husband for half as much money.’ And she didn’t laugh when she read it to me.”

“Please don’t feel that even though I’m retiring, I’m leaving you in a lurch. I know that questions may come up after I go. Feel free to get a hold of me. Just call all the beaches in Mexico and ask to talk with the lady with the daiquiri in her hand.”

Saying farewell to your boss may be difficult, especially if you have had a long professional relationship with the person. Here are some things to say to your boss as you launch your retirement.

“You’ve been the best boss ever. Thank you for all the support you showed me throughout the years. You always encouraged me to learn new skills and grow in the field, whether the business would benefit or not.”

“I remember when you hired me. You asked me how long I planned to stay at this job, and I told you I hoped to retire here. Who would have thought that day would come so quickly? Time flies. Thank you for supporting me for all these years.”

“Even though we didn’t always see eye-to-eye, I always respected you as a leader. You are kind, respectful, and generous. Thank you so much.”

“It’s been an honor and a privilege to work with you for the last 23 years. I think of you not only as a boss but a friend as well.”

“When you love what you do, work doesn’t feel like work. Thank you for making me happy to show up in this office every day for the last two decades.”

“Thank you for gently correcting me every time I made a mistake and moving on like it never happened. It takes a person with real class to interact with employees this way.”

“I feel like Dorothy when she said goodbye to the scarecrow. ‘I think I’ll miss you most of all.’ Thank you for being a great leader.”

It’s incredible how quickly you become close to your coworkers, especially if you work in a hospital, school, or another highly emotive environment. Saying goodbye may be painful. Here are some ways to do it.

“You are the sisters and brothers I never had. Thank you all for making Smith and Jones a great place to work.”

“My family doesn’t understand why I’m so sad to retire. They don’t understand how much I will miss you all.”

“Confucius said, ‘Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.’ Who knew I would have so much in common with an ancient Chinese philosopher?”

“Jack Kemp once said, ‘There is a kind of victory in good work, no matter how humble.’ Even though we aren’t working to cure cancer, I am proud of the excellent work we have accomplished together. Our work has improved the lives of others, and I am proud of it.” 

“It’s incredible how a group of people from such diverse backgrounds worked so closely and well together. We complement each other, and that is something special.”

“I’ve never worked with such a special group of people. Thank you for the last 20 years. I love you all, and I will miss you.”

“It’s not often when a group of coworkers can brighten a person’s life. I have treasured our time together.”

Depending upon your workplace, there may not be an opportunity to give a speech at the end of your last day. You may have to settle for sending out an email message to your boss and coworkers. Here are some snippets of text you may consider using for your special message.

Play some goodbye songs , fire up your laptop, and write your goodbyes. You may surprise yourself and shed a tear or two.

“Please excuse me for not saying goodbye in person. I’m feeling really sad and just can’t! You have made this a lovely place to be every day, and I will miss the office terribly — best wishes to you all.”

“Today is my last day at Blythe and Anders. I’ve been counting down the days to my retirement so I can start traveling the world but I’m also really sad. I will miss seeing all your smiling faces, and I wish I could smuggle you all in my luggage.”

“My life won’t be the same starting on Monday morning. It will be a hard transition. In fact, I’m sure you all will be the first people that I think about  — after I wake up at 10 a.m.”

“You all know how much I love Winnie the Pooh . The creator, A.A. Milne, once said, ‘How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.” I am one of the luckiest women in the world.”

“As much as I am sad to leave you, I am excited to be able to spend more time with my grandkids and kids. After a few weeks of me being around, they may ask me to come back to work to volunteer.”

“William James once said, ‘The greatest use of a life is to spend it on something that will outlast it.’ I feel that we have done excellent work in this firm, and we have helped others live their best lives. I’m proud of what we have accomplished together, and I want to thank you all for letting me be a part of your team.”

“I’d love to continue being a part of your lives. Let’s get together for a monthly lunch. My personal cell phone number is xxx-xxx-xxxx.”

Short Goodbye Messages for Retirement 

You don’t have to give a long, drawn-out Shakespearean soliloquy as you say goodbye to your coworkers. In fact, they would probably prefer that you keep it short, so they could get down to the business of eating cake and drinking champagne at your retirement party.

Here are some short but sweet goodbye messages to use for your retirement.

“I know that our job is sometimes not easy. I know the countless extra hours you put in to do it well. I also know how discouraging our jobs can be at times. But I want to offer these words of encouragement: You are doing good work. You make a difference in the world.”

“I would like to borrow the words of Lou Gehrig, one of my personal heroes. ‘Today, I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth.’ Not because I am ending my career with Wilson and Wilson, but because I had the opportunity to work with the best group of lawyers and staff for the last 30 years.”

“In the words of the great Oscar Hammerstein, ‘So long, farewell, auf Wiedersehen, good night! I hate to go and leave this pretty sight!’”

“Instead of saying goodbye, I would prefer to say, ‘See you later.’ I’m not dying, after all. I’ll just be playing a lot more golf.”

“If you need me, I’ll be on the beach!”

“I would like to give a special shout-out to my team. Thank you for making me look good for all of these years. You guys are such an amazing team that our clients won’t even realize that I’m gone.”

“I don’t have any words of wisdom or profound thoughts to offer as I look back over my career. Instead, I would like to sincerely thank you all, from the bottom of my heart, for being such a great team of coworkers. I never once dreaded Monday mornings – and that says a lot about the place you work.”

“I would like to thank my family for supporting me in my career for all of these years. They have sacrificed a lot, so that I could build this company into what it is today. Now, I am dedicating what’s left of my life to them.”

“It’s hard to believe that 45 years have passed since Mr. Halloway took a chance on me, a young kid without any work experience. He told me that he ‘liked my spark.’ Remember that the next time you need to hire someone for your team.”

Professional or Formal Goodbye Messages for Retirement 

Do you need to announce your retirement in writing? Perhaps you need to send a message to HR, your bosses, or the board of directors. Here are some snippets of formal goodbye messages.

“I am writing to share that I will be retiring from Sprint effective April 1, 20XX. I am grateful to the corporation for providing me with a rewarding, challenging career.”

“As you may have already heard, my husband’s job is taking him to England. Because of this move, I wish to announce my early retirement from the company.”

“Please accept this as formal notice of my retirement, effective April 1, 20XX. As you know, I have had many health struggles lately, and I wish to spend more time with my family.”

“It’s harder than you would think for me to write this email. However, I would like to announce my retirement from Wilson and Wilson, effective April 1, 20XX.”

“I appreciate all the support and encouragement I have received from the leadership team over the last 18 years. I would especially like to thank Ryan Smith for hiring me back in 2001. I had little experience in the industry, but he decided to take a chance on me. I am forever grateful.”

“Even though I hope to schedule my last day early this spring, I am happy to stay until a new executive assistant can be hired and trained. I would be happy to help you all with this process.”

“Even though I will miss all my friends at Wilson and Wilson, I look forward to caring for my newest grandson, Tyler.”

“After 40 years of teaching Junior English, I have decided that it is time to retire from Smith High School. I say goodbye with a mixture of excitement and melancholy. Even though I won’t miss grading stacks of essays and research papers every night, I will miss forming meaningful relationships with my students and colleagues.”

“I want to thank the leadership team for their support and encouragement through the years – especially when I was undergoing cancer treatment.”

“I am excited to begin the next phase of my life. However, I will remember fondly the years I spent at Wilson and Wilson.” 

“Thank you for encouraging me to get additional cybersecurity training. I feel good that I am leaving the company well-protected against cyber attacks. However, it’s important to stay vigilant!”

Perhaps you are saying goodbye to a retiring coworker. Here are some snippets to inspire you as you write in a retirement card.

“You will be missed.”

“I can’t imagine Wilson and Wilson without you! You have been a fixture here for the last 35 years, and you will be difficult to replace.”

“Please pass on your chili recipe to someone in the office. The promise of your chili each Friday was the only thing that helped me get through tax season.”

“It’s impossible to summarize your professional achievements over the last 30 years. So let’s just say this: You have contributed a great deal to our company and our entire industry. It’s not just our office that is sad to see you go. Other firms across the country will miss your innovation and leadership.”

“Even though we are sad to see you go, we understand why it is necessary. Please know that you will continue to be in our thoughts and prayers as you care for your wife.”

“On behalf of the entire staff, I would like to wish you a happy retirement. You have been a faithful, hard-working employee. So even though we are sorry to see you go, we are delighted for your new phase of life.”

“Our organization has become stronger due to Jeff’s commitment to our mission, values, and work. We appreciate all his contributions, and he has touched the hearts of many in the office. Please join us as we honor Jeff’s career at Wilson and Wilson by attending a retirement party on Saturday, May 1, at the Hilton Ballroom.”

“I’m not sure how long I would have lasted here if it wasn’t for you. Thank you for spending time with me when I first arrived. You helped me get through a lot of rough spots. For that, I will be eternally grateful.”

“I’ll never forget that presentation you made to Wilson and Wilson. You are the reason our company is in such a healthy position today.”

“Enjoy sleeping in, going to afternoon baseball games, and spending time on the golf course. You deserve it!”

“We are lucky to have had your leadership over the last several years. Thank you for your constant reassurance and positive attitude.”

“You have been the face and voice of our company for so long that it is hard to imagine someone else sitting at your desk and answering our phone. It’s not just our team that will be lost without you. Our customers will miss you as well.”

Saying Goodbye

It’s common to feel sad after retirement. Work was probably a big part of your life. You may feel as if something is missing when you quit. Learn how to combat these feelings by reading books on aging .   

Take care of a few pieces of business before you become too comfortable with your retirement schedule. First, set up your will and/or trust. Second, start your end-of-life planning. Finally, figure out how you want to serve others so that you can feel like you’re still making a difference during your retirement years.

Post-loss tip: Sometimes goodbyes are even more difficult, as when, when you have to let go of a dying loved one. If you are the executor for a deceased loved one, the emotional and technical aspects of handling their unfinished business can be overwhelming without a way to organize your process. We have a post-loss checklist  that will help you ensure that your loved one's family, estate, and other affairs are taken care of.

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40 Examples of Farewell Speech for Colleagues and Others

Posted: February 19, 2019 •

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“Farewell” we wish people who leave us to start a journey all new. Farewell means that wherever you go, whatever you do, may it be in peace and you get success. “Farewell” is not just a word, but an emotion. So, is there someone who is retiring or , among your colleagues? Or is anyone leaving your institution and joining others for growth and prosperity? Then you would want to give them a farewell speech. It isn’t difficult to do that, however, you would want the speech to touch their heart, wouldn’t you? Then you would need to have some guidelines and examples before writing down your own. who

Examples of Farewell Speech for Colleagues and Others

How do you give a farewell speech?

The best farewell speech is the one that comes from the heart and not what you read on different articles. Although the examples cold be useful to actually shape your thoughts into words, your farewell speech should be the one that has a taste of what you experienced at the place you are leaving behind. For example, mention the first day that you had at your workplace of college that is where the story starts. Gradually include how you got familiar with people around you and made some amazing friends who stood by you through thick and thin . Further, credit your mentor, for it is because of him/ her that you could survive in that environment and blossom. Tell everyone all the fun moments that you had with your friends and what mischiefs you did. Make everyone remember the memorable days that you had spent in there and how you will always cherish being there.

Why is farewell important?

When a baby is born, everyone celebrates its birth and eventually, it is a celebration to wish the baby a good new start . Similarly, when a person leaves an institution, he is bid farewell so that the journey that he has a merry journey ahead as he had where he had associated. A farewell ceremony is therefore important as it acts as a get together to wish someone happy journey.

What should I write in a farewell letter?

Remember, farewell is associated with a positive feeling that is mutual of one who left us. So when you write a farewell letter, keep it positive. Remember that you want their journey to be happy and positive so even if there were and negative incidents between you, avoid them. Start by addressing them in a friendly manner. Then inculcate some amazing, happy and funny moments you had with them. Write how you will miss them and doing stuff with them. Finally wish them good luck, success, and happiness for the future.

Remember, a farewell speech is not a formal speech so you don’t have to behave formally and it is okay if you are emotional. Moreover, the best way one can give a farewell speech is by being emotional. A few tips for giving a farewell speech are

Jot down the speech on a paper and read it form that paper.

If the speech is emotional, let your emotions flow.

Speak of the memories you had with the one you are delivering the speech for.

Wish them all the best for their future and have a promise of keeping touch.

  EXAMPLES OF FAREWELL SPEECH FOR COLLEAGUES

Example Speech 1:

Good Evening Everyone!

I am sure all of us know Ms. Sarah Summers in the Sales Department of our office. She has always been an outstanding employee and it is impossible for anyone not to have heard of her yet. Fortunately for her and unfortunately for us, Sarah has chosen to move out of the city to study further. And I, as the head of the sales department, would like to say a few things about her, to her and all of you here, before she leaves.

Sarah joined our company as an intern, right out of college. Though our organization was a little hesitant to hire her for her lack of experience, they also saw true potential in her. And, might I add, she never missed an opportunity to prove us wrong. A highly passionate girl, Sarah has, if anything, greatly contributed to the improvement in the function of the sales department. We are now more organized, we challenge ourselves to think differently, and we implement plans we thought would be impossible to implement. While many discard the vision of a youth as a mere idealistic tendency, we found that these inputs indeed helped us move ahead and give our department a much-needed change.

Sarah, we are going to miss you deeply, for the liveliness you brought whenever you entered a room, for the spark your enthusiasm could ignite, and for the sheer dedication, you gave your job. Replacing you is going to so difficult. I, on behalf of everyone here, wish you all the luck with your life ahead. We hope to see you shining brighter and achieve what you truly deserve. God Bless!

  Example Speech 2:

Good afternoon everyone,

I am delighted to welcome you to the farewell party. It is an honor and a great pleasure for me to deliver this speech. Today, we are all here to bid goodbye to our very good boss, an exceptional leader and a mentor who retired from active service.

It gives me great satisfaction to say that we must recognize, respect, and appreciate all the valuable skills, knowledge, and all the positive qualities that our amiable boss had instilled onto us and to thank him for all his time and efforts in shaping our profession. Of course, we all know how painful it is, to say goodbye to a very friendly boss and a father. However, we all need to express our sincerest gratitude to him for all his uncommon contributions not only to this organization but toward every staff career progression.

He spent 15 years guiding and inspiring everyone in the workplace; it seems like it was yesterday we started to work under him. Sir, you have given us so many opportunities to be thankful for. I see myself and my colleagues as lucky to have worked under your leadership. Words are not enough to express how much we are going to miss you.

You will be remembered for the great things that you have done not only for this company but for every staff in the workplace. If it had been possible for us to stop your retirement, or decrease your age and increase the number of years left to continue with what you know how to do best—creating a peaceful workplace for the superiors and subordinates to work together in harmony—we would have done that for you. However, it is your turn today. Our own retirement period is also waiting around the corner when someone else will have to bid us goodbye just like we are doing for you today.

I am also delighted to have witnessed today’s event, and proud to have worked under your leadership. Not only are you an amazing boss, but you have shown yourself to be a loving and caring person. I remember when I was sick and had lost all hope of ever getting on with this job, you counseled me, gave me moral support, and prayed for a miraculous healing from the illness. During that difficult time, all your words of encouragement, inspiration, and kindly support put me back on track for optimal job performance. I will never forget the positive influence that you have made on my life.

Through your compassionate heart and support, you have put smiles on many faces. Your leadership made working in the office easy and enjoyable. Thank you for opening many opportunities for me and my coworkers and for being so passionate about our well-being and career advancement.

I remember when the company was facing some financial difficulties, with your professional skills and knowledge in making quick decisions in a very hostile situation; you were able to bring back hope to the organization even beyond our expectations. Indeed, your exceptional qualities have inspired us in so many ways. For that, we cannot thank you enough — the sweet memories of ever working with you will remain in our hearts forever.

Thank you for all your support and encouragement, you are the best boss we have ever worked with. Your many contributions to our success are immeasurable. You have contributed immensely to the company’s success in so many ways. It is no gain saying that it will be difficult for anyone to surpass the good examples that you are leaving behind.

Our very good outgoing boss has put in great efforts in instilling values, such as determination, tolerance, equity, kindness, honesty, patience, and professional skills that are needed to get on with the job even in his absence. You have worked assiduously; now it is time to enjoy all that you have labored for all over the years and live life happily without any stress. As you join the seniors of this great country, I pray that God continues to grant you sound health, mercy and blessings. And may you find life after retirement a happy moment with endless sweet memories.

On behalf of the company and my colleagues, I wish you good luck and full success in future endeavors.

Example Speech 3:

I remember the first time I saw you,” Allie said. “I thought you smelled me first.” “Right,” said Allie. “The chocolate. But then I saw you as I sat up in the dead forest, thinking I knew you. At the time, I thought I must have seen you through the windshield when our cars crashed…. But that wasn’t it. I think, way back then, I was seeing you as you are now. Isn’t that funny?” “Not as funny as the way I always complained, and the way you always bossed me around!” They embraced and held each other for a long time. “Don’t forget me,” Nick said. “No matter where your life goes, no matter how old you get. And if you ever get the feeling that someone is looking over your shoulder, but there’s nobody there, maybe it’ll be me.” “I’ll write to you,” said Allie, and Nick laughed. “No really. I’ll write the letter then burn it, and if I care just enough it will cross into Everlost.” “And,” added Nick, “it will show up as a dead letter at that the post office Milos made cross into San Antonio!” Allie could have stood there saying good-bye forever, because it was more than Nick she was saying good-bye to. She was leaving behind four years of half-life in a world that was both stunningly beautiful, and hauntingly dark. And she was saying good-bye to Mikey. I’ll be waiting for you, he had said…. Well, if he was, maybe she wasn’t saying good-bye at all. Nick hefted the backpack on his shoulder. “Shouldn’t you be heading off to Memphis?” he said. “You’d better hit the road…. Jack.” Then he chuckled by his own joke, and walked off.”

Example Speech  4: A Poem!

“Out of the starless night that covers me, (O tribulation of the wind that rolls!) Black as the cloud of some tremendous spell, The susurration of the sighing sea Sounds like the sobbing whisper of two souls That tremble in a passion of farewell.

To the desires that trebled life in me, (O melancholy of the wind that rolls!) The dreams that seemed the future to foretell, The hopes that mounted herward like the sea, To all the sweet things sent on happy souls, I cannot choose but bid a mute farewell.

And to the girl who was so much to me (O lamentation of this wind that rolls!) Since I may not the life of her compel, Out of the night, beside the sounding sea, Full of the love that might have blent our souls, A sad, a last, a long, supreme farewell.” ― W.E. Henley,

Example Speech 5:

Today is a very sad day for us in the office as we have to say goodbye to our wonderful coworker. He/she has worked with us for a long time and has never let us down. He/she has always been extremely  professional, hard-working and a team player. He/she has a brilliant mind and always brought creative new ideas to the team.

He/she has not only been a fantastic colleague, he/she has also been a true friend. He/she always took the time to ask how his/her fellow colleagues were, always had time to listen and talk to anybody with a problem and was great fun in the office. He/she was always full of energy and happy to see everyone on Monday mornings.

He/she is a great loss to our company but we were lucky to have the opportunity to work with him/her. We all wish you the very best in the future. I know that whatever the future holds, he/she will excel and continue to be successful.

We will miss you but this isn’t goodbye as we know you will keep in touch and we will see you sooner rather than later. Thank you for everything you have given to the company.”

If you want to make this speech more effective, you could include a funny or memorable story or a time your colleague excelled at work. I would also use their name whenever you can so it is more personal.

EXAMPLES OF FAREWELL QUOTES THAT YOU CAN USE IN SPEECHES

“Goodbyes are only for those who love with their eyes. Because for those who love with heart and soul there is no such thing as separation.”

“How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.”

A.A. Milne (Winnie-the-Pooh)

“What we call the beginning is often the end. And to make an end is to make a beginning. The end is where we start from.”

“There are no goodbyes for us. Wherever you are, you will always be in my heart.”

Mahatma Gandhi

“You have been my friend. That in itself is a tremendous thing.”

E.B. White (Charlotte’s Web)

“If you’re brave enough to say goodbye, life will reward you with a new hello.”

Paulo Coelho

“This is not a goodbye, my darling, this is a thank you.”

Nicholas Sparks (Message in a Bottle)

“The two hardest things to say in life are hello for the first time and goodbye for the last.”

Moira Rogers

“Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.”

“Man’s feelings are always purest and most glowing in the hour of meeting and of farewell.”

Jean Paul Richter

“Great is the art of beginning, but greater is the art of ending.”

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

“Don’t be dismayed at goodbyes. A farewell is necessary before you can meet again. And meeting again, after moments or lifetimes, is certain for those who are friends.”

Richard Bach

“Why can’t we get all the people together in the world that we really like and then just stay together? I guess that wouldn’t work. Someone would leave. Someone always leaves. Then we would have to say good-bye. I hate good-byes. I know what I need. I need more hellos.”

Charles M. Schulz

“It’s time to say goodbye, but I think goodbyes are sad and I’d much rather say hello. Hello to a new adventure.”

Ernie Harwell

“All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy; for what we leave behind us is a part of ourselves; we must die to one life before we can enter another.”

Anatole France

“Never say goodbye because goodbye means going away and going away means forgetting.”

J.M. Barrie (Peter Pan)

“We’ll meet again, Don’t know where,don’t know when, But I know we’ll meet again, some sunny day.”

Vera Lynn (We’ll Meet Again)

“Only in the agony of parting do we look into the depths of love.”

George Eliot

“What is that feeling when you’re driving away from people and they recede on the plain till you see their specks dispersing? – it’s the too-huge world vaulting us, and it’s good-bye. But we lean forward to the next crazy venture beneath the skies.”

Jack Kerouac (On the Road)

“Remember me and smile, for it’s better to forget than to remember me and cry.”

“So long as the memory of certain beloved friends lives in my heart, I shall say that life is good.”

Helen Keller

“Yesterday brought the beginning, tomorrow brings the end, though somewhere in the middle we became the best of friends.”

“Goodbyes make you think. They make you realize what you’ve had, what you’ve lost, and what you’ve taken for granted.”

Ritu Ghatourey

“Moving on, is a simple thing, what it leaves behind is hard.”

Dave Mustaine

“They must often change, who would be constant in happiness or wisdom.”

“The pain of parting is nothing to the joy of meeting again.”

Charles Dickens (Nicholas Nickleby)

“Life is a journey, not a destination.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Though miles may lie between us, We are never far apart, For friendship doesn’t count miles, It’s measured by the heart.”

“To part is the lot of all mankind. The world is a scene of constant leave-taking, and the hands that grasp in cordial greeting today, are doomed ere long to unite for the the last time, when the quivering lips pronounce the word – Farewell.”

R.M. Ballantyne

“Goodbyes are not forever, Goodbyes are not the end. They simply mean I’ll miss you, Until we meet again.”

Are these Examples of Farewell Speech for Colleagues and Others helpful? We hope they are! Keep in mind the tips we shared with you on making your speech effective and write the speech in your own words rather than coping it. You can always have some inspiration from the examples give above, however, your experiences are yours, and they cannot be found in example speeches. One effective way of wishing farewell is by writing the speech in the form of a poem or in other words sentences that rhyme. In this, you can include all the names of the members you had memories with and this will help you indulge everyone actively in your speech.

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Retirement Speech

Retirement speech generator.

It is an undeniable truth that each and everyone of us will have our time to part ways. A concrete example of this situation is a retirement. And when you retire, a speech could be inevitable. Just like a keynote speech, your retirement speech should contain revelations of some of the most important moments of your life.

If you are confident with the way you write, you can personally draft your own retirement speech. If not, a speech writer can do the work for you. However, we have compiled some samples of introduction speech for you to have a better understanding on how to write one.

What is Retirement Speech?

A Retirement Speech is a formal or informal address given to honor and celebrate an individual who is retiring from their career or a long-term position. This speech is typically delivered during a retirement party, ceremony, or farewell event and serves to acknowledge the retiree’s contributions, achievements, and impact over the course of their career. It is also an opportunity to express gratitude, share fond memories, and offer well-wishes for the retiree’s future.

Retirement Speech Bundle Download

Retirement Speech Format

Introduction.

Greet the audience Briefly introduce yourself (if necessary)

Opening Remarks

Express gratitude for the opportunity to speak Acknowledge the significance of the occasion

Career Highlights

Briefly summarize your career journey Mention key achievements and milestones Highlight memorable experiences and moments

Acknowledgments

Thank your colleagues, mentors, and supporters Recognize specific individuals who have made a significant impact

Personal Reflections

Share personal thoughts and feelings about your career Discuss how your work has influenced your life and values Reflect on the lessons learned and personal growth

Closing Remarks

Express gratitude one final time Offer well wishes to colleagues and the organization End with a memorable quote, anecdote, or a simple heartfelt goodbye

Retirement Speech Example

Introduction Good afternoon, everyone. For those who don’t know me, I’m John Smith, and I’ve had the privilege of being part of this wonderful organization for 30 years.   Opening Remarks I want to start by saying how grateful I am for the opportunity to speak today on this significant occasion. It’s an honor to stand before you as I embark on this new chapter of my life.   Career Highlights My journey here began 30 years ago when I joined as a junior analyst. Over the years, I’ve had the chance to work in various roles and departments, each contributing to my professional growth. Some of my fondest memories include launching our first major project, mentoring new team members, and watching our organization grow from a small office to the industry leader it is today.   Acknowledgments I wouldn’t be here today without the support of so many incredible people. I want to thank my colleagues, who have been like a second family to me. A special thanks to my mentor, Susan, who guided me with her wisdom and patience. And of course, my team, whose hard work and dedication made every project a success. I am truly grateful for each one of you.   Personal Reflections Reflecting on my career, I realize how much I’ve grown both professionally and personally. This organization has not only given me a career but has also taught me invaluable life lessons. I’ve learned the importance of perseverance, the power of teamwork, and the value of integrity. These lessons have shaped who I am today.   Closing Remarks In closing, I want to express my deepest gratitude once again. It has been an incredible journey, and I am thankful for the support and friendship I’ve received. I wish you all continued success and happiness. Remember, every ending is just a new beginning. Thank you, and farewell.  

Short Retirement Speech Example

Introduction Good afternoon, everyone. For those who don’t know me, I’m John Smith, and I’ve had the privilege of working here for the past 30 years.   Opening Remarks I want to start by expressing my gratitude for this opportunity to speak today. It’s an honor to share this moment with all of you.   Career Highlights My journey here began 30 years ago as a junior analyst. Over the years, I’ve experienced incredible growth, worked on memorable projects, and witnessed our organization’s transformation.   Acknowledgments I want to thank my colleagues, mentors, and team members for their support and friendship. A special thanks to Susan for her guidance and wisdom. I couldn’t have done it without you all.   Personal Reflections This organization has been more than just a workplace; it has been a second home. I’ve learned invaluable lessons and made lifelong friends.   Closing Remarks Thank you all for the wonderful memories and support. I wish you continued success and happiness. Farewell and best wishes.

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Administrative Retirement

How to Write Retirement Speech

1. introduction.

Begin with a warm greeting. Mention the retiree’s name and express your gratitude for being part of this special occasion.

Example: “Good afternoon everyone. It is an honor to stand here today to celebrate the remarkable career of [Retiree’s Name].”

2. Highlight Career Achievements

Summarize the retiree’s major accomplishments and contributions to the organization. Mention any awards, promotions, or significant projects they were involved in.

• Example: “During their [number] years with us, [Retiree’s Name] has been instrumental in [specific achievement], and their dedication has earned them [specific award or recognition].”

3. Personal Anecdotes

Share a few memorable stories or personal experiences with the retiree. These anecdotes should reflect their character, work ethic, and impact on others.

Example: “I will never forget the time when [Retiree’s Name] stayed late to help me with a critical project. Their willingness to support their colleagues is truly admirable.”

4. Acknowledge Relationships

Recognize the retiree’s relationships with colleagues, supervisors, and subordinates. Highlight the positive influence they have had on the workplace culture.

Example: “[Retiree’s Name] has always been a mentor and friend to many of us. Their guidance and kindness have made our workplace feel like a second home.”

5. Express Gratitude

Thank the retiree for their hard work and dedication. Mention how their presence will be missed and how they have left a lasting legacy.

Example: “Thank you, [Retiree’s Name], for your unwavering commitment and the positive impact you have made. Your legacy will continue to inspire us.”

6. Well Wishes for the Future

Conclude with well wishes for their retirement. Mention any known plans or hobbies they might be looking forward to.

Example: “As you embark on this new chapter, we wish you all the best in your retirement. May you enjoy your time traveling, gardening, and spending time with loved ones.”

End with a final note of appreciation and invite the audience to join you in celebrating the retiree.

Example: “Let’s raise a toast to [Retiree’s Name] and their incredible journey. Thank you for everything, and congratulations on your retirement!”

What to Write in a Retirement Speech

There are certain rules to follow when writing a speech.

Though most speeches require the basic structures like the introduction, the body, and the conclusion speech, a personal touch is probably the most important part. The speech has to reflect a person’s character in the way that the words are arranged and the language used to convey the meaning.

In addition to that, a retirement speech should at least narrate a short story of an unforgettable moment that may have changed the your life.

Lastly, since it is a farewell address, it should have words of gratitude to the people who have been a part of the journey.

Importance of Retirement Speech

On retirement, you have so much experience to share and stories to tell. A retirement speech in pdf is also considered by some as an opportunity to thank their colleagues and everyone who has contributed to their growth as a person and as an employee.

Some even use retirement speech template to impart lessons in life, lessons they have learned for all those years of hard work and dedication. Others wold even say jokes as a way of telling people that it has been a wonderful journey and that their retirement is just another step towards a new beginning.

Why Do You Need a Retirement Speech?

Writing a speech takes a lot of time and effort specially if you are not used to doing it. However, it is never a standard to write a grandiose speech outline . The most important thing is you get to say what you want to say.

Most employees who end their professional careers after a considerable period of time prefer to have their retirement speeches. Not that they want to be recognized by everybody but to say their words of appreciation and indebtedness to the company.

Tips on Preparing Retirement Speech

Your retirement speech doesn’t have to be too educational or informative speech . Here are a few tips in preparing your retirement speech.

• Do a recollection.  Reflect on your past memories and remember those instances where you faced challenges, how you overcame them, and who were the people who helped you get through it.
• Be confident. Smile. Think of writing a retirement speech template as a walk in the park. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself.
• Create a style. Don’t jumble your sentences. Before you start writing your retirement speech, design a layout on how your thoughts should flow.

How long should a retirement speech be?

Aim for a speech length of 5-10 minutes to keep the audience engaged and maintain a concise message.

How do I make my retirement speech engaging?

Use anecdotes, humor, and personal stories to connect with the audience and highlight your journey.

Should I thank specific individuals in my speech?

Yes, thank specific individuals who have significantly impacted your career and personal growth.

How do I conclude a retirement speech?

End your speech with a heartfelt thank you, best wishes for the future, and a positive closing remark.

What tone should I use in a retirement speech?

Adopt a positive, appreciative, and reflective tone to convey your emotions and gratitude effectively.

How do I handle emotions during my speech?

Practice your speech multiple times to manage emotions and remain composed while delivering it.

Can I use humor in a retirement speech?

Yes, appropriate humor can make your speech more relatable and enjoyable for the audience.

What are common themes in retirement speeches?

Common themes include career reflections, gratitude, personal growth, memorable moments, and future plans.

How do I address challenges faced during my career in my speech?

Acknowledge challenges positively, focusing on the lessons learned and how they contributed to your growth.

Should I mention future plans in my retirement speech?

Yes, briefly mentioning your future plans can provide a positive outlook and inspire others.

Text prompt

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Create a retirement speech after 30 years in education

Help me write a retirement speech for a corporate executive