Business Email Guide: How to Bid a Leaving Coworker Farewell

News has spread throughout the office, and a valued coworker is planning to retire, switch to another company, or maybe even start freelancing.

To give them a proper send-off before they proceed to their next endeavor, a sincere goodbye should do the trick!

Let them know how you feel and ensure the professional relationship continues with these steps serving as a guideline:

1. Congratulate them on their new journey.

It’s always pleasant to receive praise from a respected colleague, so to begin the message, feel free to express a positive and cheerful sentiment. For this email template, let’s imagine that a fellow employee has accepted a high-level position in a different field.

Example: “Hi XYZ, I am so happy for you! You are going to do an excellent job in your new role.”

2. Reflect on the time spent together.

Now it’s time to get a little more personal. Assuming you’ve worked alongside each other, this is a fantastic opportunity to call back to specific memories or highlight the insight you’ve gained from them.

Example: “It has been an honor to work together. Remember that difficult project all of us completed as a team? We could not have done it without you!”

3. Suggest staying in contact.

Since they won’t likely have access to their work email anymore, it is a smart idea to provide your contact information (email ID, phone no., LinkedIn profile, etc.). This part is optional but recommended if you’d like to keep in touch.

Example: “Let’s make sure to stay connected. Just as a reminder, my email address is xxx, and you can get a hold of me at phone number as well.”

4. Wish them good luck.

Almost finished! Closing out the message is the last step, and all you need to do is add a bit of encouragement. It’s also important to get the timing right. Try to send the message about one to two days before they actually make the transition for maximum effectiveness.

Example: “I wish you all the best in your upcoming venture. Here’s to hoping that everything goes well! Regards,”

Full email template:

“Hi XYZ,

I am so happy for you! You are going to do an excellent job in your new role. It has been an honor to work together.

Remember that difficult project all of us completed as a team? We could not have done it without you!

Let’s make sure to stay connected.

Just as a reminder, my email address is xxx, and you can get a hold of me at phone number as well. I wish you all the best in your upcoming venture.

Here’s to hoping that everything goes well!

Regards,”