Now and then, one of your staff members will retire. After years of service, this can be a huge step for employees to take. 

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Writing these employees a retirement letter that thanks them for their loyalty and service is an important way to show your appreciation. While a retirement gift is a great idea - never underestimate the power of a good old thank you letter.

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In this article, we’ll provide you with everything you need to know when it comes to writing retirement letters to thank your employees. We’ve also slotted in some top tips to keep in mind and a template to help you compose the ultimate retirement thank you letter.

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What is a Retirement Letter To Thank Your Employee?

You might be wondering when to write a thank you note to employees. Well - retirement is certainly one of those occasions. 

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This letter is the best way to communicate your appreciation for an employee’s loyalty and service to your company when they retire.

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This letter also shows other employees that their continued loyalty and hard work are always remembered. They’ll know that they are appreciated by your company, and will be missed when they decide to retire.

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These letters foster a culture of recognition in the office. One of the benefits of this is improved employee retention.   

What Should The Tone Be? 

One of the most important things to remember when writing a retirement letter to thank your employee is to maintain the right tone. This should be formal, as it is a special occasion, yet personal, as you’re expressing genuine gratitude.

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This means that you will be writing in a tone of voice that is both professional and balanced. As their employer, a bit of formality is expected. Remember - they’ll keep this letter for years to come! 

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Contents Of A Retirement Letter To Thank Your Employee

Now that we know what purpose this letter serves, we can turn to how it should be written.

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Every retirement letter usually follows the same format when it comes to its contents. Let’s look at the bases you’ll need to cover in this regard.

Heading

Before you get to the process of thanking your employee, you’ll need to include some minor administrative details. These will form the header of your article.

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Your header should include:

• The date.

• The name of the employee that is retiring.

• The job description of your employee.

• The title or subject of your letter (i.e. Appreciation Letter Following Retirement).

Once you’ve penned down the admin - you can jump into the body of the letter. 

Body

The body of your letter is where you’ll get into the nitty-gritty of the contents. The body usually starts with you addressing the employee. Then, you can jump into the different paragraphs you want to include.  

Congratulate Your Employee

The first thing you should do is congratulate your employee! After all, they’ve reached a very important milestone in both their careers and their lives. 

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You could follow this by thanking them for choosing to reach this important milestone with your company. Express your appreciation for their service and loyalty.

Thank Your Employee 

This is the most important part of your retirement letter. Here, you’ll express to your employee how much value they added to your company. 

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Note how much you appreciated all the hard work they put in to do what was expected of them. Don’t be scared to get genuine in this section! 

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You could make this paragraph special by remembering something they did that you appreciated. For example - did they start any clubs in the office that improved the company culture? Did they tell a funny joke once that became an office staple? Did they stay late to help coworkers who were battling? 

Reminisce With Your Employee

In this paragraph, you can look back on some of the important milestones your employee reached during their time at your company. These will include any important promotions and work anniversaries.

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You can also recall some special memories that your employee may have made at your company. For example, you might recall the time they sang at an end-of-year party.

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In addition to this, to add a personal touch to the letter, you can include a reference to one of their interests. This will show them that their hobbies and passions were recognized, and will make them feel as though they were seen and heard. Are they trail runners, or do they love fine dining? 

Reassure Your Employee that You’re Always Near

Another aspect of a good letter is a reminder that you’re always there. Write a short paragraph telling them that your company is simply a phone call or email away. Make sure they know that you’re happy to help them out if they have any queries in the future.

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If you’re going to include this paragraph, it’s essential that you provide them with your company’s contact details. This way, your reassurance won’t come across as an empty gesture. 

Conclusion

After you’ve concluded your body, you can sign off your letter with a one-liner that wishes them good luck for the years ahead. Wish them success in their future endeavors!

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Follow this by bidding them a sincere farewell. If you want to add some sweetness to the end - sign off the letter from the company team or family. 

Top Tips For Writing Retirement Thank You Notes

We at PerkUp have included five top tips to keep in mind. When you’re bidding a retiring employee farewell - you won’t want to miss these! The 5 tips are as follows:

• Keep the structure formal and concise.

• Mention all of the employee’s important achievements.

• Include quotes of appreciation from employees working both above and below this employee.

• Remember to wish them good luck for the years ahead.

• Never bring up any mistakes or misdemeanors that may have occurred in the past.

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Retirement Letter to Thank Your Employees: A Template

Date: (MM/DD/YYYY)

To: (Name of Employee)

Job Description: (e.g. Head of Sales)

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Subject: Appreciation Letter Following Retirement

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Dear (name of employee),

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Congratulations on retirement and word of thanks for service and loyalty.

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Thank your employee again for the value they added to your company.

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Reminisce with them about some important milestones, memories, and achievements.

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Reassure your retiring employee that they can reach out to your company for anything. 

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Wish your employee success in their future endeavors.

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Sincerely,

(Your company – e.g. The PerkUp Family)

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Final Thoughts

We hope this guide has helped you jot down the perfect retirement letter to thank your employee. Retirement can be scary - and sincere congratulations can make all the difference. These letters send employees off in high spirits and work to build a positive company culture.