Farewell messages, and goodbye letters are never easy; they never go well when there is no intention of getting close to a co-worker as close as the coworkers become your second family. It may be due to retirement, a change of career, or just new pages in their lives. Whichever reason, the best way to say goodbye to an employee is by thought and professionalism, which may be through a heartfelt farewell card. But what makes a farewell card special, anyway? How do you get that perfect balance between professionalism and warmth? That is what this guide is for: helping you to come up with the perfect farewell message for your coworkers.
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At Sendwishonline.com, we believe that sending a thoughtful farewell card is highly important. Hence, we come up with some beautiful messages to impress. Let’s take a closer look at farewell cards for coworkers and what makes them great while conveying thanks and good wishes.
Why Farewell Cards Matter
The message in a goodbye card is indeed more than formal words. Sometimes, it would be a platform to look at the time that you spent together with your colleague, appreciate efforts, and bid them all the best for all future ventures. The right words would indeed enable you to remain good friends even when they leave the organization.
A farewell party is a fun, celebrative send-off, but a card is something one can take with them as a tangible reminder of their connection and the impact they can make. At work, a farewell card is thoughtfulness displayed professionally to indicate you care.
When Should You Send a Farewell Card?
These include several instances you may have had where you want to send a leaving card to another colleague. Below are just a few reasons more common than many others when quitting in the work environment:
Changes in Career : If an associate ends up with an entirely new occupation or embarks on a brand-new career altogether, sending an end card his way is always a good appreciation of the long hours put behind and wishing success for his better future.
Retirement: This is one of the significant life events. Thus, a retirement farewell card should, therefore, be a recognition of their efforts and wishing them well in post-work life.
Maternity or Paternity Leave: If a colleague is leaving temporarily for maternity or paternity leave, it would be a courteous gesture to write a farewell card to wish the family well.
Relocation: The time spent at work with such a person calls for a card, and now he or she is moving away to another city or country to stay there forever. It expresses your appreciation and wish for the fellow’s happiness and success in a new location.
End of Contract: If a colleague is leaving either in pursuit of greener pastures or for a temporary break, then a goodbye card should be sent to show appreciation.
Professional vs. Warm: Finding the Right Mix
The most difficult part in writing a farewell card for your coworker is the tone. It has to be warm, personal, and sincere but not too casual since it’s work. You want to leave an impression without crossing the line.
Here are a few tips that will help you strike that perfect balance:
Keep It Positive and Uplifting
Your colleague is leaving to do something else and needs that farewell message which reflects excitement. It has to be about the good times of their time in the team and wishing them well with success at whatever they go to do. If they are going to another place of work, let them know that the organization would miss a lot of what they brought together there and would be pleased to know what they will do next.
Make it Personal
It is very important to be professional, but the message has to be personal and meaningful as well. Reflect on the relationship that you had with the person. Did you have any memorable projects that you both worked on? Do you share inside jokes, or did you have special moments together? Mention them in your message to make it more heartfelt.
Use Appropriate Language
The use of slang words and too casual language in a farewell card is unbecoming. Especially in work settings, a bit of formality is called for in the tone of the card. This can be warm and personal without resorting to too informal a language.
Be short and concise
A farewell card doesn’t have to be long. A short, heartfelt message is just as powerful as a lengthy one. Just stick to the key points: thank them, wish them well, and perhaps add a little personal anecdote or inside joke to make it personal.
Types of Farewell Messages for Coworkers
Having discussed the essentials of a good farewell card message, we now have some farewell card messages to colleagues. You might have penned the warmest farewell to an intimate working mate or, given that you’ve written more of a general greeting, you’re not as close to them as you might be with another colleague.
1. Short but Business Farewell Cards
It sometimes can be a simple, professional message in order. If you were not that close to the coworkers you are writing to or in case you have a card that you want to send to lots of people, then the message will be appropriate.
“Best wishes for your next adventure. It has been an absolute pleasure to work with you!”
“Wish you all the best in the next adventure. You will be missed!”
Congratulations on your new job! Wishing you the best for future professional life ahead.
2. Warm and Heartfelt Messages
You can write as close as possible if you worked together. Use this as an opportunity to recall something memorable or any aspect that you are grateful to have shared together during your stay together.
“I’ve really enjoyed my time with you all. Your commitment and the confidence you exude has motivated all of us. Wish you the very best for your new position!”
“Its been fantastic to work with you. I will miss your sense of humor and professionalism. All the best in all that you do.”
“You have been an outstanding colleague, and I have learned a lot from you. Keep up all the great work, and keep the good news rolling in, as you prepare to transition to the next level of your career.”
3. For Retirement
When you are retiring, you will wish to celebrate your glorious performance and contribution during your term in the company.
Congratulations to you on your long-awaited retirement. You have always been dedicated to your work, and that really makes a big difference. Enjoy happiness and relaxation during this exciting time of new beginning.
It’s such a pleasure to work with you over all these years. Your wisdom and experience will definitely be missed sorely. Good luck in your retirement!
4. For Maternity/Paternity Leave
If your colleague is leaving for maternity or paternity leave, then the message should be a good wish for their family.
“Congratulations on your growing family! Wishing you all the best during your maternity leave. Enjoy every moment!”
“Best wishes for your time at home with your little one! I know you’ll be a wonderful parent. Looking forward to seeing you back at work soon!”
Adding a Personal Touch
Besides the written message, you could also add something personal to the farewell card such as a funny memory, special quote, or an inside joke to make the message more personal. This will surely show that some thought was actually put into this card.
Group Cards
In most cases, there are times when a single farewell card is just not enough for all the messages of thanks and well-wishes. In that case, it’s a fantastic way for a group to get together and give a collective message. Sendwishonline.com features various online group cards where your colleagues can include their messages of thanks, memories, and wishes. Group cards are especially good for larger teams or departments when a single card would feel a bit too small to capture every one’s emotions.
Conclusion
Writing a farewell card to a colleague is an opportunity to be thankful and wish the best for her future. Provided one has a professional but warm note, it brings in good influence into the minds of the person reading it. It could be either very short or long, but the heart does the action-the action of feeling.
On our portal, Sendwishonline.com, sending a thoughtful professional farewell card from the heart and being a part of group cards or sending a message individually is pretty easy. Just take some time to write that special message of your heart to wish your dear colleague the very best for this next adventure ahead.
