Farewell Messages: What to Write When a Colleague Hands in Their Notice

New opportunities deserve enthusiasm. "Your spreadsheet skills saved us during every audit. Their new finance team just won the lottery," shows you noticed their contributions.

Are you on close terms with the person who is leaving? Choose words that highlight real impact, without exaggeration or pathos.

 

The new company is lucky that you chose them!

Good luck in your new job. With your skills and commitment, you will achieve excellent results.

Thank you for making budget meetings bearable :)

On the occasion of your new role, I wish you not only success, but also supportive colleagues, engaging projects and the achievement of your goals.

May your new position bring you not only professional growth, but also personal satisfaction.

Congratulations on your new job. I am confident that your skills and experience will be a great asset to your new team. The company is fortunate that you chose them.

 

If you are not particularly close to the person who is leaving, choose safer, more standard messages that work well in almost any situation.

 

Best of luck in your new position.

May your new job bring you plenty of satisfaction and opportunities.

I wish you many successes and inspiring challenges in your new role.

Keeping my fingers crossed and wishing you every success in your new position.

 

See also: How to wish someone good luck

After decades of work, retirees want celebration, not sadness. "No more 7 AM conference calls, unless you're calling from the golf course" beats mourning their absence.

It is also worth highlighting appreciation and positive memories. “I will never forget how you spotted that data error just minutes before the presentation” shows that this person’s experience truly mattered. Afterwards, it is natural to turn attention toward the future. “I hope your greenhouse receives as much care as our quarterly reports once did.”

On a farewell card for someone leaving work, you may write:

 

Enjoy every moment of your well-deserved retirement.

May this new chapter of your life bring you joy, fulfilment and time to pursue all your passions.

From tomorrow on, every day is a weekend. Congratulations on your well-earned retirement.

Thank you for all the years we worked together, and we wish you good health, happiness and peace in your well-deserved retirement.

We are grateful to have had the pleasure of working with such an exceptional person as you. We wish you good health, happiness and the fulfilment of all your dreams as you begin your well-deserved retirement tomorrow.

May every day of your retirement be filled with joy, fulfilled dreams and time spent with loved ones. Thank you for all your years of work, and we wish you all the very best in the years ahead.

Your determination and problem-solving skills not only contributed to the success of our company, but also made it a better place to work for everyone. I wish you health, happiness and every success on the journey ahead, called retirement.

 

See more: Retirement wishes & messages

Expectant parents receive plenty of advice and warnings already, so it is best to focus on support, kindness and positive emotions. Below you will find examples of beautiful, warm wishes for a colleague starting her maternity leave, including a few with a light touch of humour.

 

You are closing your laptop and opening a completely new chapter. May this time be exactly what you need most.

We wish you a calm and joyful time, filled with beautiful moments shared with your little one. May this special period be exactly as you imagine it.

Wishing you good health, peace of mind and wonderful first moments in your new, truly special role.

The most important project imaginable lies ahead of you. Enjoy every moment of the most beautiful task in the world.

Wishing you plenty of fun during the nappy-changing stage. The whole team is keeping its fingers crossed for you.

We wish you a wonderful time without deadlines, but full of first experiences, emotions and everyday little victories.

You are moving to night shifts, but for the very best reasons. Wishing you good health, many smiles and as few 3 a.m. wake-ups as possible.

You are swapping meetings for lullabies and deadlines for naps. We wish you ease, good health and joy during this most important life change.

At last, a project that cannot be delegated. Wishing you patience, happiness and many small daily successes.

 

Formal wishes for an employee going on maternity leave

We sincerely wish you a peaceful and fulfilling maternity leave, as well as many joyful moments spent with your child.

We wish you good health, peace of mind and all the very best at this new stage of life.

May the coming time be a period of health, harmony and family happiness for you.

We wish you a calm maternity leave, filled with positive experiences and beautiful moments.

With our best wishes for health, peace and balance during your maternity leave and in the months that follow.

Your words carry weight as their boss. Acknowledge achievements publicly. "Under your leadership, customer satisfaction increased 23%. Any team would be lucky to have you."

Balance stays important. Praise their work, not them personally. "Your approach transformed our reporting" works. "You're the best analyst I've ever managed" creates awkwardness for their replacement.

Include support. "I'm happy to provide LinkedIn recommendations", or "Feel free to list me as a reference", offer help beyond nice words.

Group cards collect signatures and wishes. You can't pour your heart out between "Best wishes – Janet" and "Good luck! – Steve from IT."

Email farewells let you expand and allow honesty. Open with context: "When you trained me three years ago, I never imagined I'd run the department." Share a lesson they taught you, then offer something concrete. "Happy to be a reference whenever you need one."

Cards demand efficiency. Twenty words must capture gratitude and wishes. "Your patience during system migration saved my sanity. Enjoy every adventure ahead!", "Thanks for explaining pivot tables 47 times without laughing at me" says enough without rambling.

Platforms need personality. Slack emoji reactions and GIF-filled Teams messages suit colleagues who communicate that way. Mirror their style for authenticity.

Office drama belongs nowhere near farewell messages. "Now you can escape the politics" or "Bet you're glad to leave this mess" reflects poorly on you, not them.

Inside jokes confuse in group settings. Your reference to the photocopier incident of 2019 means nothing to newer colleagues.

Don't guess at the reasons. They may be leaving for better pay, or family circumstances have changed. Statements like "Following your dreams at last!" might hit completely wrong notes.

Comparisons create problems. "We'll never find another you" sounds sweet, but it undermines whoever fills their position. "Your contributions to the team were fantastic", acknowledges impact without creating standards.

Mixed arrangements dominate professional settings, usually featuring one lead flower supported by complementary blooms.

When in doubt, luxury flowers are always a fantastic choice. Look for bouquets with any of these blooms as their lead:

Gerberas & fresias bring cheer

Gerberas radiate cheerfulness with their daisy heads. These flowers lack scent entirely, suiting any office environment. Pink gerberas say celebration, whilst orange ones energise without overwhelming. They last two weeks with proper care. Fresias amaze with their unique look an amazing scent. 

Roses express gratitude

Roses remain classics for good reason. Pink roses express gratitude professionally, yellow ones celebrate friendship, and coral shades split the difference. Avoid red roses in corporate settings as they are known for their romantic symbolism. Their fragrance won't overwhelm shared spaces. Rose varieties today stay fresh longer than traditional types.

Lilies make statements

Lilies command attention with their trumpet shapes. White works when formality matters, pink suits warmer relationships, and orange brings vibrant energy. Remove pollen-bearing stamens yourself to prevent staining.

Carnations add texture

Carnations offer texture and durability. Ruffled petals create interest whilst their scent respects shared spaces. Pink carnations express gratitude, white ones convey respect, and mixed colours brighten any desk.

Send arrangements early in their final week. They'll enjoy them longer, and transport becomes someone else's problem. Include your message on the card – it lasts longer than flowers.