A happy retirement letter is something you’re going to write multiple times in your career. When you meet a new coworker, the first thing to do is introduce yourself to them. After that, you either send them a goodbye letter (when they leave) or a happy retirement letter.
If someone you work with is about to retire, sending them a happy retirement letter is a kind gesture that will leave a mark on their hearts. This letter shows you enjoyed working with them and they left a good impression on you.
While there’s no standard rule for sending a retirement letter, it is great to do it before they officially leave. Depending on how much the person meant to you, you can write the letter immediately after you find out and revisit it before finally sending it out.
In this article, we will discuss everything you need to know to write a thoughtful happy retirement letter.
Reasons to Write a Happy Retirement Letter
We’ve discussed what a retirement letter is and why it’s important to the recipient. Now, we will discuss why you should write a retirement letter.
- Maintains the relationship
Sending a retirement congratulations letter helps you maintain a positive relationship with the retiree. It is extremely important to nurture relationships even when you’re not in close contact with the person. A retirement letter makes this easier with someone leaving your company.
Also, if you ever need a reference, an introduction, or an opinion, you can easily reach out to them and be guaranteed a positive response. A retiree has invaluable experience that you may need sooner or later in your career.
- Appreciate them for their contributions
People want to feel like they’ve made an impact wherever they go. By sending a personalized retirement message, you confirm this for the retiree. If you worked closely with the retiree, you could pinpoint specific areas where they helped you in your career and how invaluable their help was.
- Helps them remember you fondly
It is not unnatural for a relationship with an employee to expire when they retire, but this doesn’t always have to be the case. By sending a letter, you extend your relationship with the retiree past its natural end. This is important as it helps nurture the relationship past its natural end and helps the retiree remember you fondly.
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How to Write a Retirement Congratulations Letter
- Choose the right medium
While this article is focused on sending a letter, your retirement message doesn’t always have to be a letter. To choose the right medium, you must examine your relationship with the employee and your company’s culture.
If a letter is the best option, send a letter. Otherwise, you can take the personalization further by sending a handwritten card. This may not always be advisable for several reasons, but it would leave a longer impression than a letter.
- Include your relevant contact information
When sending a happy retirement message, you must include your contact information. Also, it must be your personal contact information and not your company email address, also, include your personal phone number and email.
- Offer your congratulations
This goes without saying, but your happy retirement letter should offer congratulations. Congratulate them for the time they spent with the company and remind them of how invaluable their contributions were.
- Highlight their positive traits and accomplishments
The more personal a retirement letter is, the better it would feel to the recipient. So, to increase the personalization of the letter, mention their positive traits. If you pay attention and notice something that’s not obvious, they will feel better.
Also, this is a great way to mention some of their outstanding accomplishments. You do not need to mention if you didn’t work closely with them or remember any.
- Add a personal experience
What this achieves is it takes personalization up a notch. If you worked closely with the retiree and have personal experience of their kindness, include this in your letter. Chances are that they’ve forgotten, but it would make your letter feel better.
- Wish them success
Crown off your letter by wishing them success in their future endeavors. In this section, remember to add that you’re open to communication if they’d ever want to.
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Happy Retirement Letter Template
(Your address) Dear (Name of retiree), The day you’ve waited for years has finally approached! Congratulations on your retirement! While it saddens me to see you go, I am more honored to have had the opportunity to work with you. It’s been an absolute pleasure working with you these past five years. The experience I’ve gained from you is invaluable and will continue to help me further my career. I remember your help with the (mention a particular project they assisted you in). It couldn’t have been a success without you. Your punctuality, commitment, and cheerful nature will surely be missed here. Thank you for being a great friend and making my time here worthwhile. I wish you success in your future endeavors. Here is my contact information, please do not hesitate to reach out to me (email and phone number) Kind Regards, (Your name)
Happy Retirement Letter Sample One
123 Hephzibah Avenue, South Dakota, USA. 123 456 7980 [email protected] 12 June 2023 Dear Thomas, On behalf of the marketing department and Woculus at large, I congratulate you on your retirement. Thank you for the years you dedicated to the team and the company; your efforts have propelled this company. Your insights and input over the years have carved this company into what it is today. On this special day, I remember how much you’ve helped me and how invaluable your insights have been. I cannot thank you enough for your thoughts, guidance, and leadership. I wish you success in your next pursuits. Thank you for your time and service to Woculus. Here’s my email address if you ever feel the need to reach out [email protected] Kind Regards, John Doe
Short Retirement Congratulations Letter
- Congratulations on your retirement!
- We wish you a happy retirement!
- Congratulations on your retirement! The office will not be the same without you.
- You’ve been a delight to work with over the years! Congratulations!
- Wishing you success in your next adventure! Happy Retirement!
- Cheers! I hope you have a wonderful retirement!
- Enjoy your well-deserved retirement! You’ve more than earned it!
- Thank you for being an incredible boss! Happy Retirement!
- We wished this day never came! The office will not be the same without you! Happy Retirement!
- Working with you has been one of the highlights of my career. Thank you for the opportunity! Happy Retirement!
- Thank you for being an exceptional leader, even in the face of uncertainty! Happy retirement!
Conclusion
The major takeaway from this article should be personalizing your retirement congratulations letter for maximum effect. The more personalized your letter feels, the better it will be received. We’ve included some samples to help you write the best happy retirement letter.
