Announce an Employee's Retirement • Example Letters, Guides and Samples

Guides

This announcement not only communicates useful information about the retirement to other employees, but it builds good will among all concerned. Try to include those items that the person who is retiring feels are his or her major contributions.

How to write this announcement letter:

  1. State the name of the person who is retiring and when the retirement will take place.
  2. Give a brief history of the person's employment, highlighting specific accomplishments and contributions.
  3. If appropriate, announce any event that will honor his or her retirement.
  4. Close with good wishes for the future.

Example Letter #1

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It is with personal regret but warm wishes that I announce the retirement of Jane Doe, effective May 31. Jane's leaving marks the end of an era for Doe Corporation. She was the first person to see the value of television advertising for our products, and has been on the cutting edge of marketing ever since. We are indebted to her vision and commitment for propelling us to our present position in the industry. Her work has assured our success into the next century.

We will honor Jane for her contributions in a farewell reception to be held in the President's Ballroom at 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. on Friday, May 30. We invite all employees to extend their good wishes to Jane in her new endeavors.

Example Letter #2

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We are at once delighted and disheartened to announce that John Doe is retiring. His last day is December 5. John has been a tremendous employee. He is gifted with a keen chemical engineering mind and a cooperative nature. John pioneered our latex paint when the company was just starting out. He later developed many of the plastic products we now consider the backbone of our product line. His co-workers also recognize John for his courtesy and amicability.

John's retirement is our loss, but a well-deserved respite for him. We are throwing one last party for him before he heads south to Miami to terrorize the Floridians with his dark dress socks, sandals, and plaid shorts! Call Sue for party details. We all wish John the very best.

Example Letter #3

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Harold Walfield's retirement is upon us. The date we have feared, yet anticipated for years, is June 1. When Harold joined the company in 2012, he doubled the number of employees on the payroll. He went on to more than double our revenues by adapting new technologies from the big machine works for use in our little shop. Since he was made partner in 2016, Harold's leadership and innovation have kept us ahead of all our competitors, both locally and nationwide. A retirement party in his honor will be held in the restaurant of the Springfield Hotel on the evening of June 1, at 7:00 p.m. All are invited to share in this celebration. We all extend our best wishes to Harold as he takes a long and much-deserved vacation.

Example Letter #4

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Doe Corporation announces the early retirement of John Doe from the company's Board of Directors. Doe joined the Board of Directors as a result of the 2018 acquisition of Springfield Corporation, which he founded in 2016.

The Board has named Eric Doe as his successor and expresses its sincere confidence in Mr. Doe's abilities and qualifications to assume John Doe's executive roles. We wish Mr. and Mrs. Doe well as they enjoy John's retirement together.

Example Letter #5

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Please join me in extending best wishes to Jane Doe, who is retiring from the University on March 1. Jane has been an esteemed member of the faculty for 25 years, and she will be greatly missed by students and colleagues alike. We have all benefited from her innovative teaching style, which has made her one of the most popular professors on campus, and from her empirical research, which has been an inspiration to us all. She will be sorely missed and impossible to replace.

We invite you to attend a dinner in her honor on Friday, February 25, in the north ballroom of the student center. Please RSVP to my secretary, Mrs. Smith, by 5:00 p.m. on Thursday. Those who wish to contribute to a department gift for Jane may do so through Mrs. Smith.

We know you all join us in wishing Jane well as she starts a new chapter in her interesting life. We know she is eager to catch up on the traveling and writing she loves so much. We hope you will be able to join us for dinner as we express our appreciation to her.

Example Letter #6

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It is with mixed emotions that I announce the retirement of Jane Doe, our department secretary. She has provided us with 37 years of devoted service. I don't know how we will get along without her!

Jane's attention to detail, while keeping the broader picture in mind, has been invaluable. Her willingness to put in extra time and effort to help us meet deadlines has demonstrated a commitment to excellence that we have come to depend upon. I personally owe her a debt of gratitude for all the times she has helped keep me on track, on time, and within our budget. In addition to her incredible competence and skill, she has been a friend to all with her thoughtfulness and quiet encouragement.

I invite you to join me in showing Jane our tremendous appreciation at a retirement luncheon that will be held in the staff lounge on her last day of work, Friday, June 30. We invite everyone to attend and share your memories of working with Jane, and to wish her a wonderful retirement.

Example Letter #7

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Many of you are now aware that John Doe has accepted a position in Kansas. John will be the sales director for Doe Corporation.

I am very excited for John; however, he will be greatly missed here in Springfield. His positive attitude and abundance of energy have helped make our office a pleasant place to work.

Currently, I have no plans to replace John. Jane Doe will assume full responsibility for his clients.

Write Your Letter Step-by-Step

1 State the name of the person who is retiring and when the retirement will take place.

Sample Sentences for Step 1
  • It is with regret that I announce that John Doe will retire on June 1.
  • After more than 25 years of devoted service, Jane Doe will retire from Doe Associates this month. We will miss her.
  • Please join me in wishing Jane Doe a very happy and rewarding retirement. She has decided to take this giant step on June 1.
  • John Doe has made it official. He will retire at the end of this semester.
  • It is with personal regret that I announce the forthcoming retirement of our friend and colleague, John Doe, effective June 1.
Sample Phrases for Step 1
  • accompany my announcement that
  • after more than
  • has provided us with devoted service for
  • has officially announced that
  • has decided to retire
  • imminent departure
  • is planning to retire on
  • is retiring from the company on
  • it is with mixed emotions that
  • join me in wishing the best to
  • news brings both sadness and joy
  • sorry to see her go
  • the forthcoming retirement of
  • we will miss her
  • he/she will retire, effective
  • we will sorely miss
  • he/she will retire from
  • with personal regret I announce
  • years of devoted service

2 Give a brief history of the person's employment, highlighting specific accomplishments and contributions.

Sample Sentences for Step 2
  • John's career with Doe Associates has truly been remarkable. He began as a courier and rose to the office of vice president. He has been responsible for skillful negotiations with labor unions that have benefited workers and kept our company strike free. He has been a friend to all, and we will miss him.
  • Jane has worked in nearly every division of the company, but she is probably best known for her work with international markets. Under her direction, our sales abroad have risen steadily for the past 10 years, a significant accomplishment in today's market. She now plans to spend some well-deserved vacation time in some of those international areas.
  • Beth joined our company in 1975 when we were in our fledgling years. As we grew, she took on additional responsibilities and became our first full-time operations manager. Her years of experience and technical know-how will be sorely missed. We will also miss those occasional brownie treats.
  • We were fortunate to get John to join our company in 1978 when we needed a marketing expert. He proved to be exactly the right person at the right time--and the rest is history. We all owe a great deal to him for helping us get where we are today.
  • John's innovative marketing strategies over the past 15 years have made him somewhat of a maverick in today's society, but they have served us very well. Throughout his career we have been able to expect creative campaigns like the one last June that won him an award from the advertising council. His kind of creativity is a rare commodity. We will miss him.
Sample Phrases for Step 2
  • a significant accomplishment
  • began as a
  • career has been a remarkable one
  • competent and dedicated
  • dedicated service
  • hard work and outstanding talents
  • has worked in nearly every division
  • has served us very well
  • has been responsible for
  • has been a friend to all
  • have felt ourselves fortunate
  • now plans to
  • owe a great deal to her
  • probably best known for
  • right person at the right time
  • rose to the position of
  • technical know-how
  • took on additional responsibilities
  • totally reliable
  • unparalleled expertise
  • unswerving determination
  • will surely miss him
  • worked closely with
  • years of experience

3 If appropriate, announce any event that will honor his or her retirement.

Sample Sentences for Step 3
  • There will be a retirement reception in the conference room Friday afternoon from 3:00 to 5:00. We invite all employees to express their good wishes to John at that time.
  • We will have a dinner in honor of our colleague Friday at 7:00 p.m. in the Springfield Art Museum. Please RSVP to John's secretary at 555-5555.
  • We invite you to attend a backyard barbecue celebrating this event Saturday evening beginning at 6:00 p.m. Bring your swimsuit. John wants you to enjoy his new pool.
  • Most of Jane's family will be in town for a special retirement dinner to be held at the Doe Steak House. She would like to include friends. Call Beth at 555-5555 for details.
  • John has decided to celebrate his big plunge into retirement with his first bungee jump from the new tower in North Springfield. Anyone interested in joining him is welcome to give him a call at 555-5555. Who said retirement has to be dull?
Sample Phrases for Step 3
  • a retirement reception
  • a retirement luncheon
  • a dinner in his honor
  • attend a farewell reception
  • has decided to celebrate by
  • in honor of our colleague
  • in the conference room
  • in the staff lounge
  • invite all employees
  • invite you to
  • invites all her colleagues
  • join me in wishing
  • join us in the
  • please RSVP to
  • show our appreciation by
  • the retirement tribute
  • to attend a
  • to wish her farewell
  • to express their good wishes
  • will meet at

4 Close with good wishes for the future.

Sample Sentences for Step 4
  • Our warmest wishes go with him.
  • We will miss her efficiency and good humor. We wish her a great retirement!
  • I am sure you will join with me in wishing Jane a long and wonderful retirement.
  • John deserves a rest from this hectic pace. We hope he will enjoy many good days on the golf course.
  • We hope he is blessed with many wonderful experiences and wish him the best in all his plans.
Sample Phrases for Step 4
  • a much-deserved rest
  • a wonderful retirement
  • all those travel plans
  • best wishes go with him
  • deserves a rest from
  • good health and happiness
  • have a great retirement
  • hope she will be blessed with
  • hope he will enjoy
  • it is going to be difficult not seeing
  • long and happy retirement
  • many wonderful experiences
  • many happy memories of
  • resting is not in his immediate plans
  • sure you join with me in
  • well-deserved rest and recreation
  • will all miss his
  • wish him the best
  • wishes for a happy, healthy future
  • wishing her many rewarding experiences