A retirement is a big event in a person’s life, especially if the retiree initiates the retirement. Express your appreciation for the person by sending congratulations on your retirement letter. A personal congratulatory letter is most appropriate for close working relationships, although a group letter, signed by all, may be sufficient as well.
Sample:
This sample congratulations on your retirement letter sample is from a group to the administrative assistant of the group. The salutation uses the retiree’s first name, which is appropriate in this situation. The group thanks the assistant for all of her hard work and wishes her well in the years to come. They mention specifics about the retiree’s plans, which is sure to make her feel valued as a person as well as a group member.
Dear Jolynn,
Congratulations on your retirement. We understand you will be leaving us on August 28, 2022. You will be greatly missed at JKL Services. You served the company admirably with your professionalism, superb attention to detail and your ability to keep us all organized and on schedule. There was never a time when we lacked anything we needed to do perform our duties, thanks to your amazing ability to multitask and tend to the needs of us all.
It will be very hard to adjust to your absence. We have all grown so accustomed to going to you for advice, coaching and sometimes, just a pleasant conversation. We hope the person who fills your chair has half your wisdom and a good measure of your positive attitude. You infectious laugh turned the monotonous into the enjoyable.
We hear you are moving to North Carolina following your retirement. We know you have wanted to move closer to your children and grandchildren for many years. We are thrilled you have the opportunity now to do so. Along with spoiling your grandchildren, we hope you take some time just for yourself. Relax and enjoy Jolynn, you deserve it.
Sincerely,
Jeff, Linda, George and Cathy
Jeff, Linda, George and Cathy
Open the letter with congratulations and well wishes
The beginning of your retirement letter of appreciation should congratulate the recipient on his or her retirement and offer best wishes for the future. You can state how much the retiree will be missed, how you have appreciated working with and getting to know them and how you hope they enjoy retirement. You could also add a statement about the value of his or her contributions to the company.
Mention shared memories or common interests
Next, you can use your letter to share your memories or things the retiree did that you appreciate, such as how they always asked about your weekend. You can say that you will remember how kind he or she was or how that person made you feel each day. Taking the time to think of personal details shows respect and appreciation.
Consider bringing up projects you worked on together. You can explain what you learned from working with them and how you will always remember that time. You could list some of the retiree’s best qualities, such as being loyal to others and a hard worker. You can mention fun times as well, such as when you went on a business trip together. Reminding the retiree of your good times together will show you appreciate the occasions you spent with them.
You may also talk about topics that are not related to work to show the retiree that you value and plan to continue your relationship. You could suggest a plan to do something together in the future, such as going to a sporting event. Talking about what you have in common lets the person know you enjoyed their company outside of the work setting.
Talk about the retirement party
If the person had a retirement party, you could mention details from it to show that you enjoyed celebrating their time with the company.
If you had a part in planning the party, let the person know how much you enjoyed it. You might explain that it was fun to research their favorite type of food and drinks and get to know them even more. If you got the retiree gifts for their retirement party, you could say you hope they enjoy them in the future.
If the party has not happened yet, you could mention how much you look forward to celebrating the retiree.
Double-check your information
You want this letter to feel as personal as possible, so make sure the facts you have in the letter are accurate. If you say you have enjoyed working with them for the past 15 years, make sure that number is correct. Verify any other details you include. You want them to leave with a good impression of you and the relationship you had.
Example retirement appreciation letter
Here is a sample retirement appreciation letter to help you compose your own:
Dear Francis,
Congratulations on your retirement! Everyone on the team will miss you, but we are excited about your new journey. I can’t tell you how much I’ve enjoyed working alongside you. You have always been an innovator, creative problem-solver and empathetic leader. You have truly made an impact on me and my professional growth.
I look back at our time working together fondly. Whether it was meeting for dinner after work or taking a coffee break together on a busy day, I enjoyed getting to know you. I also had a good time attending some of the local baseball games with both our families last summer. Let’s hope our team continues to do well this year!
I wish you the best in your future endeavors. Please keep in touch as you go into your retirement. I would love to get together soon to hear about the exciting things you plan to do.
Best wishes,
Jerry
386-9212
They're thoughtful sentiments
Retirement messages are thoughtful sentiments in the sense that they allow you to pick memories, events, and moments you have shared with the retiree to make a beautiful message. Thoughtful gifts are usually the best because the recipient knows that a lot of thought and effort was put into the process. You might want to consider sending in retirement messages so that the person feels special on their special day.
They show the recipient that you appreciate them
Retirement messages show the recipient how much you appreciate them. These messages are congratulatory, and they also allow you to express instances and moments you're most grateful for. In a scenario where a boss about to retire once helped you get out of a sticky situation, the message allows you to mention how grateful you are for that handout. After reading your message, the recipient will feel well appreciated.
The messages point out the impact of the recipient
With messages, you can let the retiree know the impact they've had on you. Their retirement offers you the opportunity to let them know the various ways they have impacted or influenced certain aspects of your life. Surely, they would've given you some solid advice or helped you make an important decision that changed your career or life trajectory in general. Retirement messages provide you with the opportunity to mention the impact of the retiree on you, specifically as a person.
They celebrate the achievements of the retiree
Retirement messages celebrate the accomplishments of the recipient. Retirement in itself is an accomplishment that is worth celebrating. However, retirement messages give room for you to celebrate certain achievements attained by the recipient. The retiree will feel accomplished when they read your retirement message. Maybe they won't feel as sad retiring once they realize that they have achieved quite a lot.
They allow you to be expressive
A written message is usually more expressive than a gift. Why? Because you can expressly state your thoughts and feelings. It's that simple! When penning down the message, you can be witty, funny, sarcastic, proud, emotional, or anything you wish to be! All you need to do is pour out your heart.
General guide on writing retirement messages
If you're trying to write a retirement message for your boss, coworker, friend or family member, these tips and tricks will help you navigate writing the most thoughtful message. Although there are different ways of writing these messages depending on the recipient, we believe these tips and tricks will guide you. Let's get to it then! These are a few tips:
Congratulate the retiree
The whole point of the retirement message is to congratulate the retiree on reaching such a feat. A good retirement message should start with "CONGRATULATIONS!" You really can't go wrong with a congratulatory message.
Example: "Congratulations on your retirement, dear friend…."
Share a fond memory or event
Sharing a fond memory or event you have shared with the retiree makes the note or message a bit more personal and sentimental. You can never go wrong with a simple dewy-eyed moment to make the retiree feel loved and fondly remembered.
Example: "Remember when you started out sharing coffee and bagels at the start of work? Now, look at you retiring at the peak of this organization…."
Acknowledge their accomplishments and awards
It would be nice to point out a couple of milestones in their career. It shows that the retiree has had an accomplished career run and can now retire, having attained these notable achievements. If the retiree is a colleague, you can mention specific milestones they've achieved in the organization.
Example: "You have done so much for this company, and your work will forever be recognized. The way you propelled our profit margin five years in a row and…."
Let them know about their influence on your life
This message is your opportunity to let the retiree know that they have influenced you one way or the other. It's their special moment, and letting them know this will make it even more memorable. Touch on their personality traits such as leadership abilities and work ethics and how these traits have inspired you.
Example: "Learning from you has been such a blessing. Your work ethics have inspired my drive to work and progress in the workspace…."
Give them some words of encouragement
Example: "You've just begun the second half of your life! Have fun as you navigate this journey…."
Give well wishes for their future
Wishing them well in their future endeavours is an excellent way to end the retirement message. You could keep this part short and simple.
Example: "I wish you all the best in all that you have planned in the future…."
Samples of retirement messages
For your message to be appropriate, you need to tailor it according to the sort of relationship that exists between you and the retiree. If you're close enough to the person, a reference to a favourite hobby or dish livens up your message.
Retirement message for your boss
Dear Boss, Congratulations on your retirement! Working for you has been so informative and inspiring. I could never wish for a better boss. Your leadership style and the way you push us to do better is something that I have decided to imbibe and learn. I will miss all your corny jokes and the way you light up the room whenever you're around. As you retire, I just want you to know that you have only begun a brand new and exciting journey. I can't wait to see what you make of it. I hope we're still on for some karaoke fun next Tuesday? Congratulations!
Retirement message for your friend
Hey friend! Congratulations on your well-deserved retirement! I remember our days in college and how we all dreamed of being successful enough to retire early so we can enjoy the rest of our lives. Now, look at you! You did it! I'm so happy and proud of all you have accomplished and the impact you've left on your organization.
I look forward to playing old people golf with you every Sunday evening and enjoying a cold can of beer at a football game. Congratulations once again!
Retirement message for family
Congratulations on your retirement, Mom! I know you've worked hard enough to provide a lovely childhood for my siblings and me. I'm so happy you get to have your well-deserved rest after all this time. I know you've always wanted to travel the world after your retirement, and now you finally have the chance to! I absolutely cannot wait to start receiving your postcards from Greece or whatever exotic place you decide to visit. I love you so much! Congratulations!
Retirement Wishes: Retirement from work marks the new beginning of life. By sharing inspirational and encouraging words, cheer them up for a fabulous time and great adventures. Bring a smile on their face by sending some wonderfully crafted retirement greetings or farewell wishes. Though leaving the workplace is difficult for them but your heartiest retirement wishes can make them feel better and positive. Some people find retirement as a depressing part of life. But you can always cheer them up and make them happy about it. So, let's check out the following retirement wishes to see if you find what you were looking for.
Retirement Wishes
Wishing all the very best on your retirement. May you have a healthy and happy life with your friends and family.
Cherish every moment from now on. I hope you get the chance whatever you wanted to do. Happy Retirement!
Congratulations on your retirement. On this special day, you deserve the best farewell ever. May you enjoy every moment of this new journey of your life.
We wish you nothing but good health and joyous days in your retirement. Have a wonderful life and pray that we can carry out your ideals.
Sending heartfelt wishes for the new chapter of your life. May you be able to do all those exciting and happy things you couldn’t do all these times. Have a wonderful time.
Sending heartfelt wishes as you're going to enter a new chapter and a new stage in life. But you'll be still be missed for your dedication and honesty.
You deserve a good rest now. Happy retirement!
Happy retirement! May God bless you and your days be filled with joy and ecstasy.
We had a great time to cherish forever, thousands of reasons for me to be thankful to you on this day. Wishing you an enjoyable life ahead. Happy retirement.
You were more than a coworker to me. You were like a mentor and the best colleague ever. Though it’s painful, wishing you a life full of happiness after retirement.
Thank you for always leading us from the front, boss. We will miss you greatly. Happy retirement!
Dad, I’ve seen how hard you’ve worked all these years. Thank you for everything. It’s time to rest. Have a beautiful retired life with all of us.
Retirement is another new chapter of life. I hope you enjoy it with relaxation, good health, and fun. Congratulations.
Congratulations on your happy retirement. Enjoy your hobbies, and stop by sometimes to see us.
Sending best wishes on your retirement. Enjoy it at your heart’s content.
Life after retirement is like the second innings of life. Reward yourself with a great and joyous vacation that you always craved for. Happy retirement!
After working so hard all these years, you deserve a good long rest. Welcome to retired life.
Sending respect and well wishes for the new chapter of your life. May you have a joyous life full of exciting moments.
Farewell is always a grievous moment, but a coworker like you would always be remembered with great honor and love. Enjoy your retired life.
Wish you a happy, healthy, and adventurous life after retirement. May this new chapter brings immense ecstasy, laughter, and triumph in your life.
The old chapter is closed today; a new journey is about to begin; embark on it with a deep breath. Make sure you enjoy it all. Happy retirement.
The unparalleled dedication with which you’ve performed your job all these years deserves a huge round of applause. Hope your extended vacation for life turns out to be amazing.
Thank you for the blood, sweat, tears and the hard work with which you’ve helped our company grow.
The quality which you’d bring to work is something which you will dearly miss in the workplace. I hope the chapter on retirement brings you great delight.
All of us at work will miss you dearly. But, on the bright side, you get to spend some quality time with your family now. Happy retirement!
You deserve this new-found freedom after working so hard and with dedication all these years. Congratulations on your retirement.
Happy Retirement Messages
Sending best wishes to you for this important moment of your life. May all the great things happen in your life! Happy retirement.
Life is giving you another chance to find yourself again and start it all over again. May all your desires come true during this new phase of your life.
Freedom is another name of retirement; no more workload, no tension; you are your own boss. May you enjoy this freedom and accomplish things that you never did before.
Have a happy retirement. Consider it as a sweet reward for all your contributions, late nights, and having no time for your family. Welcome to it!
We all are grateful to you for your guidance, support, and great leadership. You’ll be missed for your generosity. Happy farewell.
Now you have so much time for your family and your loved ones. No complaints anymore. May you enjoy your time!
In all these years, I’ve seen you working day and night; now it’s time to give yourself some rest and enjoyment. Relax and feel life all again.
Your retirement has brought you a new opportunity to experience freedom in life. I wish that you feel the thrill of life and embark on many adventures that never happened before.
Your life's golden phase is about to start. May God bless you to fulfill all your personal aspirations through your retirement! Live your dreams as much as you can.
Can't imagine you without work, but we're happy as you'll now get much time to spend with us and can go to the places we always wanted to go.
Let’s unwind your mind and relax your soul, do adventurous things and spend much time with your family. Happy retired life! Miss you.
May your retirement bring everything wonderful in your life! Live like a free man, like a wild bird during this new phase of your life.
All your best work will be remembered with great gratitude and honor. May this retirement be the starting of a happy time in your life.
May this retirement bring you the opportunity to discover a new meaning to life. May you be able to do things that you always wished for! Congratulations and best of luck with your retirement.
Happy retirement. Finally, you are going to have some time to spend only for yourself. Hope you test all the new ventures of your life to the fullest.
Congratulations on gaining two new best friends -bed and couch. From now on, you will hang out with them mostly.
For you, the weekend has seven days. Congratulations on the extended weekend. By the way, happy retirement.
Now it’s your time to say goodbye to tension and say hello to your pension—happy twice-a-year holiday.
You got the longest coffee-break and no hectic Mondays. I am so jealous of you—anyway, congrats on your retirement.
Retirement Wishes for Father
I’m so happy and proud of you, dear dad. All the hectic schedules are in the past now; finally, you won’t be missing quality times and fun with the family anymore.
Congratulations on your retirement. I hope you will enjoy your days as a retiree to the fullest. I am extremely happy for you, dad.
After years of hard work, you will finally have some time to yourself. I am so happy for you. I hope you enjoy your life to the max. Happy retirement dad.
I wish you great happiness and good health on all the days of your retirement. Congratulations. Have a blessed retirement, dad. I love you so much.
Father, the time has finally come to relax and let go of all the financial tension. Be happy and enjoy your hard-earned pension.
Congratulations on your retirement, Dad. You can finally spend more time with your grandchildren. We love you!
Happy retirement, dad! My best wishes for you to have good health and a fantastic vacation all the days of your retirement.
Finally, your hectic Mondays are over, and not any workload. Now we can spend more time together at home. I hope you have a blessed retirement, dad.
Dad, from now on, get rid of all the tension and pressure from your shoulder. Enjoy the retirement from work. Happy retirement.
Retirement Wishes for a Friend
I’m so proud of the person that you are today. The dedication you had for your job, it’s time to enjoy life with two times more dedication than that.
I’m glad that you are finally retiring. Now should we start planning all the trips that we didn’t get to go? Oh my, good days here we come!
As your friend, I can say it’s your good deeds that have brought you where you are today. I hope you know what retirement actually means! Happy Holidays for life.
I have always known you as the most active and hardworking person. Now I cannot wait to see how you enjoy your freedom! Congratulations on your retirement.
I hope you know life never stops and retirement is just another phase of life. Embrace it and enjoy your life with joyous moments. Happy retirement friend.
Retirement has finally come knocking at your doors. I really hope you get to spend some quality time with your family.
I’ve watched you work too hard for so many years. I am so glad that it is all coming to an end now. You honestly deserve retirement more than anyone I know.
Congratulations on your new freedom. Now we will get to see you more. Enjoy every moment of your new life.
After hearing about your retirement, I was so excited. Now we get to enjoy all the trips. Happy retirement, my friend.
You have always whined about not getting enough rest; now, you are getting endless relaxation. Congrats on your retirement, friend.
Retirement Wishes for Boss
Thank you for always lifting up the mood and always encouraging us with your words. Congratulations on your retirement, we will miss you.
Working under your leadership and guidance was truly an honor for each and every one of us. Thank you for all the support. Enjoy your retirement, Sir.
To my fantastic boss, thanks for all the support and patience. We will miss you. Best wishes for your retirement.
I still cannot believe that we won’t be greeted with your positive vibe every day in the office, Sir. I will always remember your advice. Have a great life, Sir.
The department will never be the same without your jokes and your good vibes. I will miss you so much, Sir. Have a good life ahead. Congratulations on your retirement.
Boss, you have been our role model at work. Your determination and grit deserve high praise. We wish you a joyous retired life with your loved ones.
Your decision-making skills and your excellent leadership will be dearly missed. Happy retirement, boss!
Boss, you have always been an embodiment of optimism and enthusiasm. As you retire, we will sorely miss you. Happy retirement.
Over these past years, we get to learn so many things from you. Congratulations on your retirement, boss.
Retirement Wishes for Coworker
Thank you for always creating a motivating atmosphere all around the office. I will always miss your presence here. Have a great life ahead!
You have always been an example to us at work. Congrats, and thanks for being a great colleague.
It’s been nothing but an absolute blessing sharing the workplace with you. You are a friend, mentor and a great company to have. May God bless you.
Now that you are retiring, who will take all the work pressure away with silly jokes? We will miss our great colleague in the office so much. Enjoy your retirement.
Hey, Mr. Perfectionist! You will be missed so much. I hope you will enjoy your retirement and won’t forget the lifelong friends you have made her. Good wishes.
You were the best coworker anyone could have ever asked for. Thanks for being such and kind and amazing soul. Enjoy your days to the fullest.
My dearest colleague, I will miss our conversations over tea. All the best to you in the new phase of your life.
Heartiest of congratulations to you on your retirement from work. Work will never feel the same with you gone.
The difference you’ve made at work and the way you’ve always been there for guidance makes you one of my favorite coworkers (insert name). I will miss you dearly. Happy retirement.
You are one of the best colleagues I have until now. I will miss you. Best wishes for your happy retirement.
Your enthusiasm and positive attitude towards work made us learn many things. We will miss such an optimistic person. Congratulations on your retirement.
Retirement Wishes for an Employee
You have worked hard until the last day of your job. We admire your contribution until now. Happy retirement.
Finally, the day is here to say goodbye. You have always been a great employee. We will miss you. Happy retirement day.
All the best from us to your new retired life; we hope you get to enjoy every moment from now on.
Congratulations on your retirement! You have achieved so many things. We will miss such a dedicated employee—all the best for the new journey.
You have accomplished so many things in this company. We sincerely appreciate your dedication and effort you made for our company. Congrats on your retirement.
Retirement Wishes for Teacher
Thanks for your endless effort, motivation, and hope for us to become better and successful people. Happy retirement.
Thank you Mr/Mrs. (insert name) for making (insert subject) easy for us. Very few people can teach as well as you. We’ll miss you!
Sir/ Madam, you have been a great role model for me throughout high-school. I feel pretty sad at the thought of no longer seeing you at school. Nonetheless, have a happy retirement.
You were so kind, considerate and caring. We’ll miss you a lot now that you’re retiring.
Thank you for instilling a growth mindset and a passion for learning. Hope your retired life turns out to be beautiful.
Whenever I think of you, I am reminded of your kind smile. You have been teaching at this school for quite a while. Your time to retire is finally here, sign off in style.
Even if you retire, you will never retire from my heart. However, happy retirement, dear teacher.
You have made us learn to never compromise with honesty, integrity, and good behavior. You deserve the most incredible ovation at retirement.
Retirement Wishes for Uncle
It’s finally the time you can rest without any worries from work. Congrats on your retirement, uncle.
Congratulations uncle on your recent retirement from work. What a marvelous career you’ve had. I would love to hear about your work accomplishments the next time I visit.
Happy retirement dear Uncle! Hope you enjoy good health and quality time with your family.
Now that you are retiring, you will have so much time for us. This makes me so happy. I hope you will be enjoying your day's max. Happy retirement.
I’m extremely happy that finally you are getting retired from your desk job. But welcome to the household area. You can never run out of here, uncle.
Out of all the people, you deserve this break and deserve to have fun which you have been missing throughout the years due to workload. Congratulations on your retirement.
We are so glad that you are retiring, and we wish your days of retirement will be fun and sunny! Happy retirement. Have fun and enjoy your life, dear uncle.
Recently I heard about your retirement. We are proud of you for being such an accomplished person. Congratulations on your retirement.
I am so glad that finally you are free from all the office work and can enjoy life more. Happy retirement, uncle.
Retirement Quotes
“Stay young at heart, kind in spirit, and enjoy retirement living.” – Danielle Duckery
“Retirement is like a long vacation in Las Vegas. The goal is to enjoy it the fullest, but not so fully that you run out of money.” – Jonathan Clements
“The trouble with retirement is that you never get a day off.” – Abe Lemons
“Retirement is wonderful. It's doing nothing without worrying about getting caught at it.” – Gene Perret
“Retirement, a time to do what you want to do, when you want to do it, where you want to do it, and, how you want to do it.” – Catherine Pulsifer
“Retirement is supposed to be the great escape from the stresses inherent in most jobs, a time to experience a fulfilling life derived from many enjoyable and rewarding activities.” – Ernie J. Zelinski
“When a man retires, his wife gets twice the husband but only half the income.” – Chi Chi Rodriguez
“Retirement: It's nice to get out of the rat race, but you have to learn to get along with less cheese.” – Gene Perret
“We work all our lives so we can retire – so we can do what we want with our time – and the way we define or spend our time defines who we are and what we value.” – Bruce Linton
“Retirement means no pressure, no stress, no heartache… unless you play golf.” – Gene Perret
“O, blest retirement! friend to life's decline – How blest is he who crowns, in shades like these, A youth of labor with an age of ease!” – Oliver Goldsmith
Retiring from work doesn't mean that you have now become useless, rather, it offers you the freedom to discover the new horizons of life. It opens up the possibility of new adventures in life. But sometimes, our loved ones may feel sad and emotional when they retire from their job. So, cheer up your boss, colleague, father or any family member so they can take it easy. Inspire them to go for all those hidden desires of theirs that were left behind unachieved. Through retirement, life opens up a new door to living the excitement of life again. We hope all these retirement wishes and messages would bring positive sense to your near one. Pick the one you like and send the best retirement wishes to your dear one.