A retirement letter is an official submitted to an employer announcing one’s intention to leave the company. A retirement letter is an official proof that you are retiring. Even if you have told everyone that you would be retiring, you will still have to write a retirement letter to make it official. It is important to start the letter on the right note. The best way to do this is to let your employer know about your retirement plans thoughtfully and professionally. This includes writing a resignation letter informing them of your retirement.
In this article, we have provided professionally crafted retirement letter samples along with a how-to-write guide. But first, let us understand what are the key elements of a retirement letter:
What to Include in your retirement letter?
Some of the things to include in your retirement letter include:
- Your job titles
- Your name
- The name of the company
- Notice period
- The last day at the company
Writing a Retirement Letter
After informing your employer of your plans to retire, a retirement letter will serve as your formal notice. You can decide to send the letter as business correspondence or an email, but either way, the letter must be free from any grammatical errors, free of abbreviations and typos. Here are some basics to contemplate on when writing your retirement letter:
Give a Date: give a specific date for your retirement. Also, indicate the last day you will be working at the organization.
Mention your success at the company: consider reviewing the value you added to the company for the period you’ve worked there.
Express gratitude: thank your boss for the experience you had working with them. Avoid being negative at this point. Also, make sure that your tone is professional and cordial.
Send the letter to HR: make sure that you address the letter to the human resources. You can either deliver the letter in person or send it through email, either way, follow up t make sure that they read the letter.
Provide contact information: if you are moving after your retirement, make sure to provide your employer with your forwarding address, your email, and your phone number to contact you in case of anything.
Retirement Letter: Template
[Your name]
[Address, Town code]
[Date]
[Company name]
Human Resource Manager
[Address, City code]
Dear [name of recipient]
RE: Retirement
I am writing to inform you that on [date] will be my last day to work at _ as a _ [job title] since I will be retiring in accordance with the stated law.
I must admit I am a little bit excited about the imminent retirement, and I want to take this chance to express my gratitude for your total cooperation for the past _ years. As I am preparing to leave this entire fraternity, I would like to be of assistance because I am aware that the recruitment process may take longer and can be very tiresome. I will be more than willing to train my colleagues to execute my tasks during this transition period and to take my time to arrange my files where they can be easily accessed.
There will be several challenges in adapting to the outside world; however, I will be keeping myself busy by doing farming and spending some quality time with my family. If any case, extra duties may arise, and you need my help, do not hesitate to contact me at _____ [contact information].
Sincerely
[Your signature]
[Your name]
Retirement Letter: Sample
September 2, 2020
Sean Gregory
Wilson Street, 1495 Wuhan
898-004-6589
Maxine Civil Registrar
Thomas Abraham
Luna Park, 1489 CA
Atlanta
I would like to notify you via a letter about my impending retirement from Maxine civil registrar as a messenger. The reasons for my retirement are entirely pure and personal; this is because I need to take care of my ailing wife.
For the ten years that I have worked here, this organization has always given me full support towards my self-development, and I would like to say thank you for the opportunity you gave me to work here, the extra skills that I learned and also for some guidance that you gave me.
Please let me know how I will assist in ensuring a smooth transition.
Sincerely,
Sean Gregory
Free Downloadable Templates
Tips for Giving Notice of Your Retirement
As you commence on a new phase in life, it is important to note that as you plan to leave the organization, you are working with, you will be leaving behind a job well qualified for. Leaving your job will leave a vacant position that may not be so easy to fill. Therefore, you must discuss your plans in person with your employer or supervisor before sending a retirement letter. As you draft your retirement letter, some of the things you should put into consideration to make the process seamless include:
Company policy and packages: The first thing to do before drafting a retirement letter is to check on the company and retirement packages. The more information you know about the retirement process, the smoother your discussion with your employer/supervisor will be.
Notice period: Give your employer ample notice period to plan for your replacement. ensure that you provide enough notice for your departure
Transition: It is always advisable to offer to help the management during the transition. The experience you have gained in that position can be valuable in training your replacement. After all, your replacement will have big shoes to fill.
Part-time or consultation work: Most companies prefer using experienced consultants in their dealings. If you would like to continue your association with the company on a limited basis, this would be a perfect opportunity to discuss it with your employer/supervisor.
Be humble and gracious: As you retire, it is important to note that you may still need some information from your employer. It is, therefore, important that you remain humble and gracious throughout the entire process.
Stay positive: Thank your employer and everyone at the company by sending a thank you message for your experience with the company.
Conclusion
You have worked your whole life for retirement. To have a smooth transition at work and maintain a great relationship with your colleagues, it is important to inform them early of your decision to retire from work. Remember that even though you won’t be associating with them on a day-to-day basis or ever, they may still come in handy. You may require them to write you a recommendation letter or sign you a document in the future. Be positive in the letter, and don’t forget to thank your colleagues for the time you had with them at work.