This sample farewell email will help you bid adieu to your colleagues in a way that’s both polite and personal.
Why send a goodbye message to your coworkers?
Whether you’re sad to be leaving your job or you can’t get out the door fast enough, it’s always in your best interest to maintain a professional appearance. This means saying goodbye in a way that leaves your coworkers with a positive final impression. After all, you never know when you might want to ask one of them for a reference or if you’ll work with them again in the future. Plus, it’s just the thoughtful thing to do.
Writing a goodbye email to your coworkers is also a good idea for practical reasons. It informs everyone of your last day, provides necessary details about who’ll be taking over your duties, and gives instructions on how to reach you after you leave (if that’s something you want to provide, of course).
How to write a farewell email
Go through the proper chain of command
This might seem obvious, but you should make sure your boss and your human resources department know you’re leaving before breaking the news to your coworkers.
Keep it simple
While it’s perfectly acceptable to include a few words about how you’ve enjoyed working for the company or how much you’ll miss everyone, it’s best not to use your goodbye email to share a lengthy explainer of why you’re leaving. If you want to spill the details to select coworkers, that’s better to do one on one and in person.
Include instructions
Whether you’re available for questions after you leave or you intend to cut ties with your soon-to-be-former employer completely, it’s best to give instructions one way or the other. This prevents unwanted calls (which can become stressful if you’re trying to get acclimated to a new job) and is a courtesy to your coworkers who will be picking up where you left off.
Sample farewell email – personal
Team,
As you may have heard, I am leaving my position at Smith & Company. My last day will be March 4.
Sharing the news is bittersweet since I’ve enjoyed my time here so much. I’ll miss our conference room brainstorms, monthly birthday lunches and of course, our #CatMemes Slack channel.
I am available for questions during the transition. The best way to reach me is via email at [email protected].
Thank you all for making my time here so memorable.
Best,
Jack West
Sample farewell email – simple
Dear team,
Today is my last day with [COMPANY] and I wanted to send a quick message to let you know how much I’ve enjoyed working with you all. It’s been a pleasure to be part of such a talented team, and I wish you the best moving forward.
[NAME] will be filling in for me until my replacement gets up and running. If you’d like to keep in touch, my personal email is [EMAIL].
Best,
[YOUR NAME]