Retirement Letter

When an employer has worked for a company for many years and is ready to leave the company, it is customary to submit a retirement letter to the company. As a courtesy to the company from which you are retiring, your letter announcing your upcoming retirement should be presented six weeks before your date of retirement.  This letter should follow a particular format.

The opening paragraph identifies the purpose of theletter. The information in this first paragraph lets the employer know that you are retiring. Another item that should appear within this paragraph is the date of your expected departure from the company.

In the second paragraph of the retirement letter you should offer your gratitude and assure the employer that you appreciate having had the pleasure of working for this company for so many years. Remember the individuals in this company who aided you in obtaining and keeping your position.

The third paragraph should include that you are willing and happy to assist the company and the new employee who will be assuming your position in making an easy conversion. Remember that your years of experience at the company will be missed whenever you retire. This paragraph can, if you want, be the final paragraph of your retirement letter. But, if you wish to further express yourself you can add more to the retirement letter.

A forth paragraph may be added to your letter if you desire a continuation of work for the company as a full or part-time outside contractor.

There may even be a fifth paragraph if you care to elaborate on your past stay at this place of employment. Make a brief summary of the high points of your employment, talk about what you have contributed to the company. It is appropriate to express your thoughts of yourself and your achievements in a way that doesn’t sound boastful, but in a manner that says that you cared about the company and were glad to contribute your all. You may even mention some statistics regarding how the company has changed since you were hired.

If your retirement letter already has five paragraphs, you must still use a sixth and final paragraph to briefly state your heart felt intentions toward the other employees that you worked alongside on the same level as well as your superior workers.

Make sure to head your retirement letter appropriately: your name, your position, and the company name and address on separate lines respectively. The greeting should read as: Dear (Use first or last name).  You should use whichever name is acceptable between you and the person whom you are addressing. Make sure to use proper grammar and punctuation.

A retirement letter is a fairly simple process. Samples of such letters can be found at www.RetirementLettersandSpeeches.com.  You can also view the format of a retirement sample letter.