A retirement announcement letter is written to inform other people in the company about your retirement. With this letter, people acknowledge this occasion and plan this milestone in advance. This is the time when company should highlight the effort, projects completed, and value that an employee has added in the company over the years. So, this is actually the special moment for the employee as well as for the company.
Steps to follow when making a retirement announcement:
You should try making your retirement announcement first if you don’t have good words for your retiring letter. In this way, you have a better idea of what you want to write to your employer to inform him that you are leaving the company. Here are steps you should follow when making a retirement announcement;
Provide your employer enough lead time:
There is no standard rule that how much notice you have to give your employer. But you should give enough time to allow for a smooth transition. However, it usually depends on the nature of your work and how much time your company requires to train your replacement to perform all of your tasks.
Inform your retirement plan to the people you are closest to in the workplace:
Share the news of your retirement in person. If you are a team leader, you have a close relationship with all the members of your team. During one of your meetings, you can make the announcement. It depends on you that how you talk to your colleagues.
Send your colleagues personal notes:
Before breaking the news of your retirement, you should have already composed a retirement announcement email to send to the people who are close to you. This way, they still receive the news of your leaving from you. You can also use a template but add a few notes and make it more personal for each and every one you send it to.
Share your news to your expanded network:
Nowadays, you have huge network networks of colleagues and friend whom you stay in contact via social media. Once sharing your news with the people closest to you, it’s time to share a short post about your retirement on your social media profile. In this current era, this is a modern approach to announcing your retirement. Moreover, this allows you to reach more people.
Prepare yourself for emotional imbalance:
When everyone receives the news of your retirement, it’s time to prepare yourself for a roller coaster of emotions. You can feel overwhelmed by reading all the responses and comments from your colleagues and friends. At the office, if you’re one of the more well-loved individuals then this is especially true. You can feel emotionally exhausted for the next few days.
Retirement announcements changed since the past:
You should make your retirement as memorable as possible because it only happens once in a lifetime. In the past, an employee’s retirement wasn’t of great importance. When they reach the age of 85, they receive a token of appreciation, collect his pension, and leave the company.
Nowadays, the retirement policies have changed drastically. Some companies have no set standards and have concise policies for retirement. Some people retire early and pursue a different career after a few months or years and then work until they reach the age of 80. In addition, before making your retirement announcement letter, you should consider the following questions no matter what your case is;
- How much advance notice you have to mention in your letter?
- What wording should you use in the letter so that your retirement won’t close all the doors of opportunity?
- Is it good idea to send a retirement announcement email in order to inform the online community?
Tips for writing a retirement announcement:
For one of the employees in the company, if you are working on a retirement announcement then select your words carefully. You have to use appropriate wording, positive, and informative phrases or sentences in order to make the retiree feel as appreciated as possible.
Furthermore, retirement isn’t a bad thing, it makes a person feel happy and fulfilled. During making the announcement, you should highlight the retiree’s achievements and all the good work he has contributed in all his projects. Here are some tips that will help you in writing a retirement announcement for someone an employee;
Start the announcement:
You should speak to the employee first before drafting the announcement and sharing it to the public. By doing this, you can make sure that all of the dates and details in the announcement are correct. Before making the announcement public, provide the employee sufficient time to speak to his colleagues, clients or even business associates in-person. Express your appreciation for the employee’s service when starting the announcement. Moreover, you should also give some good view about the upcoming departure of the employee from the company. Including a time frame for the last few work days of the employee is also a good idea.
Share the role and the achievements of the retiree:
Give a brief history of his role in your company either he employee has worked for a long time or not in the company. State that how long he has worked in the company. Include a precise description of few of his biggest accomplishments; there is no need to include too many details. If employee has worked in more than one department in the company then share that as well. This usually happens when employee receives promotion during working for the company.
Speak about the future plans of the retiree:
Discuss about the future plans of the employee after his retirement. However, before making any of this information public, you should get the approval of the employee. If the employee allows to share his plans to the public then by using some light humor and a fun-loving tone, you may include this information in the announcement. In addition, it is important to always present your employee in a positive light.
End the announcement with a note of appreciation:
In the end, include statement of one or two sentences which expresses the company’s appreciation to the employee. This part doesn’t have too long, keep it precise because your other employees can’t read the complete announcement if it’s too long.
Include details of the retirement party:
Finally, after making the retirement announcement wording you should also mention the details of the retirement party too. You have to share the all the important details so that everyone gets the same information. You should also check Farewell Email Templates.
What to include in a retirement announcement letter?
Your retirement letter must include the following information;
Basic details of the retiring employee
You have to provide the basic details of the retiring employee in the start of the letter. This includes the full name of the retiree, the address, and the job title.
Employer’s basic details
Include the basic information of the employer including their complete name, address, and the job title.
Letter submission date
You must specify the submission date in your letter while writing so that you can easily locate it by using this information.
Date of retirement
The employee’s specific retirement date must be mentioned in the letter so that company can replace his/her position. Also, the retiree’s coworkers say farewell to the employee before he or she formally retires.
Achievements
In the letter, you should mention all the successful things you’ve done for the company. You can also indicate the value you’ve contributed to your company.
Gratitude
The letter is the best place to express your gratitude to the company and thank your employer for all the great years you have worked with them.
Contact information
The letter must contain your contact details as well as include your new address in case you are planning to move.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, a retirement announcement letter is a formal document that you have to write after telling your employer that you’re planning to retire. This letter includes the specific date of your retirement, the successful things you have done for the company, your gratitude to the company, and all of your contact information. Keep it precise and use a professional tone throughout the letter.
Faqs (Frequently Asked Questions)
It depends on what type of retirement process you’re following at your company. Retirement process may vary from company to company. Therefore, you should go through your company retirement policy. Retirement letter generally sends out 2-3 months before your retirement date.
1- Give two weeks’ notice
2- Be ready to leave right away
3- Write a resignation letter
4- Quit in person
