- Address to your manager. …
- Your date of retirement. …
- Your value to the company. …
- Gratitude for your time with the company. …
- An offer of assistance. …
- What help you need from HR. …
- Any new contact information.
Why is a letter announcing retirement important?
The fact that a letter announcing your retirement provides a written record of your plans is the primary motivation to do so. Delivering a formal letter is especially crucial because it will be added to your employee file and used to coordinate any necessary benefits with HR. It also makes your retirement timeline crystal clear in writing, which can be helpful even if you’ve spoken to your manager or supervisor about your plans verbally. You might discover that HR or your manager missed something and that you need to retire if you only communicate verbally or informally.
What is an announcing retirement letter?
Your manager and HR department should receive an announcement letter from you when you plan to retire. You should include a number of things in this letter to make sure your plans and requirements are understood, including the date you intend to retire, an offer to assist with the transition, and the HR support you require to retire. In order for your manager and HR to easily print a copy of this letter for their records, it is typically best to deliver a paper copy of it to them or to email it to them as a separate file.
What to include in an announcing retirement letter
You should include a number of significant details in a letter announcing your retirement, such as:
Address to your manager
Address your letter to your manager even though you have likely already discussed your retirement with them and the formal letter is more for HR to know. Technically, they are the ones you are giving your formal notice to, so it’s best to keep them as the main recipient even if you copy HR in your email or print a physical copy to give to HR because they probably also need to handle things related to your retirement.
Your date of retirement
Obviously, a crucial piece of information for everyone involved is the date you intend to retire. Include a specific date, not just a range of dates. Instead of saying “I plan to retire in three months,” you might say “I plan to retire on May 5, 2022.” The inclusion of the precise dates enables your manager and HR to make more detailed preparations for everything from distributing retirement benefits to throwing you a retirement party. Additionally, it enables them to more carefully plan how they will take on your role after you depart.
Your value to the company
Though it may be optional, including it in the letter could be to your advantage. Including some of your accomplishments in your retirement letter can help you with those goals if you have any plans to perform consulting work for your business or are considering whether you might want to come back for a second act in the future. A sentence or two about some of the accomplishments you are most proud of can demonstrate to your manager and HR how important you have been to the company. It doesn’t have to take up a significant portion of the letter.
Gratitude for your time with the company
An expression of gratitude for your time spent with the company is something that is customary to include with your retirement announcement letter. This doesnt have to be lengthy or overly effusive. Instead, focus on sharing your sincere sentiments about working for your employer. Perhaps you value the coworkers you had, the work you accomplished, the clients you assisted, or the achievements you shared. You might even value all of those things. You can include here anything that stands out to you about your time working for your company, along with a brief thank you for the chance.
An offer of assistance
You should also include an offer of assistance, especially to your manager. Avoid making too many commitments and only include things you are willing to do. This is a good time to mention your willingness to train your replacement, assist in finding a replacement for yourself, or offer to serve as a consultant after retiring.
However, before mentioning it in your letter, you might want to speak with your manager if you’re interested in working for your company as a freelancer or consultant after you retire. Discussing what that would entail, how you would be able to assist, and how much time you would be willing to commit to working there each week would be most beneficial. There is no need to notify your manager beforehand in order to mention in your letter that you are interested in assisting them in finding a replacement. Therefore, you are free to do so.
What help you need from HR
You should describe your expectations and what you need HR to do for you in this section of the letter. This could entail arranging your paperwork, planning for the future of your benefits, or preparing your pension. You can also include any requests you have for your manager here. Be precise and straightforward about what must be done for you to retire. Additionally, let them know that you are available to talk about the following steps; however, make sure that everything that needs to be done in writing.
Any new contact information
If you intend to relocate after you retire, please include any updated contact details. Include your personal phone number and email address here, at the very least, so that anyone who needs to get in touch with you after you retire can do so easily. It’s a good idea to mention any changes to your physical address, especially if you have a pension or will eventually need to receive tax documents.
Including this information in your letter announcing your retirement will ensure that it is added to your employee file, even if your HR department maintains a database with it. This can help avoid any confusion once youve retired.
Examples
Here is an example of an announcing retirement letter:
“Dear Mr. Vaughn,
I’m writing to you to let you know that I plan to leave Premier Journeys on April 30, 2021.
I am pleased with the time I have spent working with Premier Journeys and all of our collective successes. The team I oversee most recently increased sales by 19% in 2019 compared to the prior year, and in 2020 I was in charge of overseeing the opening of a brand-new travel agency location in Jackson, Mississippi, which performed incredibly well.
Thank you so much for giving me the chance to join this team for the past eight years. I’ve enjoyed working with you and the other members of our team, and I’ll always remember my time here. I believe that both you and Premier Journeys have supported my growth both professionally and personally, and I will always be appreciative of that.
As we discussed, I am happy to help if you need any help finding and training my replacement. If required in the future, I can also work part-time as a consultant for Premier Journeys.
I would appreciate it if HR could start any necessary paperwork as well as the process for starting my pension in order to get ready for my retirement. In addition, I think I’ll get paid 60 hours of PTO after I retire, but I’d appreciate it if you or HR could confirm that number for me.
My wife and I will remain in our current residence on Chandra Drive for the foreseeable future, which should be the address HR has on file. You can still reach me at (602) 578-3458 and jmaynard@email, my personal email address. com.
Sincerely,
Julie Maynard”
Tips for announcing your retirement
Although announcing your retirement may seem intimidating, with some planning, you should be able to handle everything. Here are some tips for announcing your retirement:
Rep. John Conyers officially announces retirement, read resignation letter
FAQ
How do you write an announcing letter for retirement?
- Write a physical letter. …
- Give ample notice. …
- Express your appreciation. …
- Describe your achievements. …
- Describe what you plan to do going forward. …
- If you’re interested in consulting or freelancing, mention the possibility.
- Offer assistance moving forward.
How do you announce your own retirement?
- Write Your Letter Step-by-Step. Tell us when you plan to retire and what your immediate plans are.
- If you are aware of your replacement, mention how well-qualified they are in a positive way.
- Finish by expressing your own gratitude for your friendships and affiliations.
What to write when you are retiring?
- Address the right people.
- Specify the date of your retirement.
- Express appreciation for your experience.
- Offer to assist with the transition.
- Discuss consulting if you’re interested.
- Detail your needs regarding retirement.
