What to Write in the Goodbye Email to Coworkers?

All your bags are packed and you’re ready to go, but don’t you dare leave your job position without saying goodbye to your colleagues.

Just because your colleagues already know that you’re departing your job doesn’t mean you should up and leave with nary a word said. Even if you hated your work and can’t wait to move on to the next chapter in your life, it’s important to walk out the door on a positive note. If you dread saying goodbye in person, a goodbye email to coworkers is your best way to quit your job with grace and poise. Speaking of quitting, have you had your resume evaluated by our online resume writing service yet?

Your farewell email to coworkers has the power to define your entire employment history, so careful thought must go into its details. Here’s what to include in your letter so you can write the best farewell email.

1. A concise and to-the-point subject line

Your last day at work email’s subject line lets people know what your email is about, so it’s important to get your opening message right. You have many approaches to choose from with your subject line, such as:

Generic

• I’ve learned a lot from the company these past years…

• Moving forward to the next chapter of my career…

Formal

• Leaving my position at (name of company)...

• About my last day at work…

Personal

• Sorry I have to leave…

• Saying goodbye is never easy…

Whatever approach you choose, make sure your message is never vague. If your subject line doesn’t directly know what your goodbye email to colleagues is about, there’s a good chance that your recipients will simply ignore it.

2. A heartfelt message

While you have multiple approaches for your subject line, you only have one for the body of your email—it has to be personal. If you desire to keep in touch, state it in your email.

You will also have to write different emails for your superiors, colleagues, and subordinates. Don’t send out the same letter to everyone, because your letter will come off as insincere.

Here’s a sample goodbye email to coworkers who are your peers:

Hello there (name)!

As you may have heard, I’ll be leaving the company soon, and while I’m excited about my new career choice, there’s also a big part of me will that miss my time here working with people like you. You helped make the daily grind easier, and I will certainly cherish the opportunity we’ve had working together.

I will certainly miss your (funny memory or inside joke)!

Though my time with the company is at an end, I hope it doesn’t mean that our friendship is at its end as well. Feel free to get in touch with me anytime at (your personal number or email). Should you need someone to grab coffee or a bite with, don’t hesitate to reach out!

Yours truly,

(Your name)

Here’s a sample goodbye email to coworkers who are your superiors:

Hi (name of manager/superior),

As I informed you in our last meeting, my last working day at (name of company) is on (date). I want to take a moment to share some of my thoughts on being part of your team for the last (your employment period).

I have thoroughly enjoyed my time with (name of company), and working under your guidance has been a huge part of that. I thank you for your steady support and leadership during my time here.

I would like to thank you for the opportunity to learn and develop my skills under your employ, but I now feel ready to move on to new opportunities. This decision took a lot of consideration and was not an easy choice to make, but I think it’s the best path to take toward fulfilling my career goals.

I would like to thank you again, and I would like to let you know that I want to do my best in ensuring a smooth transition before I take my leave. My best wishes to you and the entire group.

My personal contacts are:

(Personal email address)

(Contact phone number)

Please feel free to contact me even later on in case you need help with the responsibilities I’m leaving behind.

Sincerely,

(Your name)

Here’s a sample farewell letter to colleagues who are your subordinates:

Dear (name of subordinate),

Through this email, I am letting you know that I have decided to resign from my job as (job position) here at (name of company). My last date of employment will be on (date).

Before I take my leave, I am taking this opportunity to tell you that my time working as your supervisor has been a positive experience for me. I have always provided my guidance and support to you thinking of you not just as my employee, but also as my friend. Our times spent working, training, completing reports, and even taking breaks, will be cherished.

The best part about the job was the hard work and dedication that I received from you. Working with respectful and honorable employees like you is a source of great pride for me. I share whatever achievements I have had with the company with you.

Despite my departure, I wish you all the very best for your career prospects. I would like to extend any kind of help that you may need in the future inside and outside of work. I hope my farewell doesn’t mean the end of our friendship!

I look forward to stay in touch with you. You may reach me through (personal email) or (contact number.) All the best for your future. Farewell!

Sincerely,

(Your name)

Eight practical tips for a more effective farewell email

Even when you’ve decided to leave the company, it’s best to stay professional and not burn any bridges. You never know when your connections will prove useful down the line. Writing a goodbye email to coworkers is a convenient and polite way to say your farewell and stay connected even after you leave your job. With that in mind, here are eight tips for a more effective farewell email.

1. Confirm your status with your manager

Before forwarding your goodbye email to coworkers and the rest of the company, be sure to check with your manager and higher-ups that they know that you are leaving and have announced your departure. This will give everyone ample time to complete any leftover tasks they have with you. Avoid unnecessary delays to your resignation by making sure everyone is aware of your leaving.

2. Let coworkers know when your last day will be

Simply announcing that you are leaving is not enough. More than a simple heads up, coworkers deserve to know when your last day will be, in case they need something completed before the date. So make sure your goodbye email to colleagues includes the last day you will be working.

3. Be thankful

Keep your goodbye email to coworkers upbeat and show gratitude for the opportunity to work with the company and its people. If you want, you can make your letter friendlier by including certain accomplishments that you managed to achieve with the team, skills that managed to help you grow while you were employed there, and fond memories. It’s fine to inject your letter with some humor— by nature, goodbye email to coworkers tends to be less formal than traditional correspondence. Just make sure to keep the jokes classy and inoffensive.

4. No need to go into particulars of your leaving

The goal of your farewell email is to let coworkers know that you are leaving, and nothing more. There’s no need to provide the reason for your leaving, which company you’ll be moving to, and so on. Keep your farewell email short, and don’t go overboard.

5. Include your contact information

Encouraging people to keep in touch without providing your new email or phone number would leave anyone reading your goodbye email to coworkers scratching their heads. Don’t forget to include personal contact information, even if it’s old and have shared it with them before. You might also want to connect with coworkers on social media to show them that you’re serious when you say you want to keep up a correspondence with them in your farewell email to coworkers.

6. Look at samples

There are samples of farewell email to coworkers here, but if you’re still having trouble crafting your letter, don’t hesitate to look for other sources of inspiration. A simple Google search of farewell email to colleagues will yield plenty of outstanding results. Use the samples to help you craft a positive and friendly that conveys your value to the organization.

7. Review and proofread your farewell email

Read and reread your email thoroughly until you are sure it is free of any error or typo. Although you are not required to be overly formal with your farewell email, remember that you’re still sending out a professional business letter, and thus the document still merits your careful attention.

8. When you have been laid off

Even when you have been laid off, you should still extend the courtesy of letting your colleagues know that your time with the company is at an end. Again, it’s all about keeping things professional and not severing any relationship that you could potentially benefit from down the line. But more than that, it’s about using your farewell email to exhibit utmost professionalism even in the face of unwanted circumstances.

FAQs about goodbye emails:

How long should your farewell letter to colleagues be?

Keep your letter at least two to three paragraphs short—don’t write a single-paragraph farewell email to coworkers. This tells your readers that you’ve given your message some thought.

When you should you send out your goodbye email to coworkers?

You can send your farewell email to colleagues any time after you’ve given your two weeks’ notice. You can even send it out on your last day at work. But if you want to give your colleagues time to respond, instead of a last day email, you can send out your letter at least a couple of days earlier.

Who else should you send a farewell email to?

If you're in a client-facing role or work with people outside your company, aside from a farewell email to coworkers, you should also write a goodbye email to those people as well. This should be done to inform the people that you are no longer associated with the company, and they should be contacting someone else. Don’t forget to include the contact information of your replacement for this type of goodbye email.