The time has finally come to hang up your hat and retire. You may have worked most your life in the same business or spent the last couple of years in a new role. Regardless, you’ll need to compose a formal letter announcing your retirement to your management.
Composing your letter of retirement should be significantly simpler and less complex than writing a letter of resignation. What you’ll need to know before writing your letter is:
Much like a resignation letter, a retirement letter follows certain etiquettes and rules. We’ll show you an example of a deconstructed retirement letter and talk a bit about the importance of each section.
Dear [insert manager’s name here],
I would like you to accept this letter as notice of my retirement from my position as [insert your job title here] with [insert company name here].
This top section seems simple but is very important, as this immediately tells the recipient the intent of the letter and exactly which employee is handing in their notice. Here, you address your manager by name, state your current role at the specific company. This ensures there are no misunderstandings and all information put forward is crystal clear.
As stated in my employment contract, my notice period is [insert notice period length here], and my last day of work will be on [insert the end date of notice period].
It is key to state the length of your notice period here, as to again avoid any misunderstandings, and to put a sense of urgency into your letter.
Though I am excited to enter this new chapter in my life, I will look back on my employment fondly. I have very much enjoyed being part of the team at [insert company name].
In this section, you should consider offering your appreciation for the opportunities your employer has given you and express your admiration for your colleagues and management alike. This helps to create a graceful and professional retirement letter and leaves your management with a positive impression of your retirement.
I would like to do what I can to make this transition easier. Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help.
This section relates to subjects such as assisting in training of your replacement, compiling notes on how you undertake daily tasks and what was most effective for you, or completing tasks before the end of your notice period to tie things up in a neat bow before you take your leave.
Yours sincerely,
[insert your name here]
Just like any letter, you should sign off using your name with a polite valediction.
To reflect
A retirement letter doesn’t need to be excessively long, but you’ll want to make sure to include what seems like basic information. Ensure you include your job title, the length of your notice period and the date you expect to finish. Make sure you know exactly who your letter is supposed to be for and don’t beat around the bush.
Try keep things positive and light no matter how badly you might want to speak your mind. You have been a valuable asset to your company, so let’s leave things on a good note!
Happy retirement!