Sample goodbye email to clients, vendors, or third-party contacts. If you're in a client-facing role or work with people outside your company, don't forget to send them an email. You'll likely want to do this shortly after you put your notice in with the company — but once you've figured out what the transition will look like. Nov 20, 2019 Farewell Program Template. Sample Farewell Program. Decorate the location of the party in the theme of the party. This could include streamers in the party colors, posters or fake plants, neon signs or tiki torches. Choose decor that suits the guest of honor and the theme you choose for the farewell party.

Saying goodbye graciously

By: Susan Dugdale | Last modified: 04-09-2021

Farewell speeches mark significant departures. They are so much more than a casual 'see you later' and a mumbled 'thanks for everything' as you make a dash for the door.

A planned goodbye speech crystallizes the moment of leaving, giving it focus, form, and dignity. It provides an opportunity to publicly acknowledge people and events, as well as to graciously show your appreciation and gratitude for them.

And that, I think, is the sort of leaving speech most people want to give!

What's on this page?

Everything you need to prepare an excellent farewell speech. Click the video for a complete overview.

Farewell Party Program Template

Occasions for giving a farewell speech

A farewell speech is frequently expected when leaving a job to take another and is given by the person leaving or, to the person leaving by a colleague, their manager or boss.

Other situations calling for farewell speeches are graduations (leaving a school, a class...), retirements, (leaving the paid work-force), or perhaps when a long-time member of your club or neighborhood departs. A funeral speech or eulogy is yet another form of a goodbye or farewell speech.

Retirement & funeral farewell speeches

Click to find out how to prepare, write, deliver and read examples of:

retirement speeches
funeral speeches

Traps of a particularly nasty sort

I think one of the biggest public speaking traps is allowing yourself to play that old con game in which you suddenly, without regular practice, become a marvelous impromptu speaker.

When asked to say a few words at the function marking either your leaving, someone else's you'll be fluent! You'll remember everyone and everything you wanted to mention.

Your farewell speech will be structured. It will open with a flourish, offer something of substance and close with a slice of unforgettable wisdom. Perfect.

Reality can be very nasty sometimes. 'Umming and erring', rambling, missing out things and ending with a limp 'Yeah, well, that's it' and a shrug exposes the con. Yep, fell for it. Again. Sigh.

Just like the Scouts: Be prepared!

Think ahead. Plan. You will know if you're expected to give a farewell speech.

Learn from either your own previous experience or from what you've witnessed. Be it the good, the bad or the ugly!

There is a fine line between formal and informal, particularly in a work place. Straying too far on either side may not be received well, and the impact could ripple on in ways you have little control over.

Like for instance, being overlooked in the future rather than being offered the opportunity to speak on behalf of your colleagues and your company again.

Pitching your speech appropriately and delivering it well takes practice. For your own sake do it.

Good communication skills, (which includes public speaking), will open more hearts, minds, and therefore doors, than any other skill you might have!
(For more, please see The Importance of Communication Skills in Business.)

Hallmarks of gracious farewell speeches

So having established the need to do more than bumble through a hastily cobbled together farewell speech, here's what you are aiming for.

These are the characteristics of a speech that an audience, (your co-workers, employers, classmates, friends, fellow club members ...), would be delighted to hear.

It is respectful and sincere. The speech expresses appropriate honest and genuine feelings about people, events and ideas.
It is positive. The speech acknowledges outcomes, projects and events positively, without undue exaggeration or puffery, and expresses hope for the future. If being positive is difficult be very careful about publicly passing judgement or making comments that could cause embarrassment or something far worse.
It is brief. The speech is succinct and concise, minus padding or waffle. There are no prizes for rambling on and on. Three to five minutes is enough!

Content ideas for a leaver's going away speech

If it's you who is leaving and you're preparing a speech to mark the occasion, here is a list of the type of material expected, and appreciated in a farewell speech.

A brief summary of involvement eg. how long you've been with the company, club etc
What you have enjoyed, admired or appreciated about the workplace, job, neighborhood, club
The admiration and appreciation you have for the people - their qualities/skills
What you feel about leaving
Your gratitude and thanks for support, opportunities to learn, friendship...
Special memories or good humored anecdotes
Your reasons for leaving
What, or where, you are going to
Hopes and good wishes for those remaining

Obviously you're not expected to cover all nine points in lavish detail. Pick what feels right to you. Apply the guidelines and, prepare your speech.

Sample farewell speech

To show you how the content suggestions and the 'graciousness' guidelines work together I've prepared a sample speech. That's below.

The speech is 573 words long. Depending how fast or slow you speak that will take approximately four minutes to deliver. (You can find out more speech rate here)

About this speech

The speech is entirely fictional. I've written it from the point of view of a person working for a company called Smith and Black. Here he/she, (I've not defined gender.), led a team which was involved in community initiatives. He/she is leaving to do further study. The speech will be given at a gathering in the company staff room.

Farewell speech from the leaver to colleagues

'Thank you for coming along. I am delighted to see you all here.

Do you realize we've been sharing each other's company for 2920 days?
We've been together through approximately 417 Mondays. 417 Wednesdays. (Half way! It's the weekend soon. Hang in.) And 417 yay, it's Fridays!

Eight years of fun times, challenging times and everything in between.

And today I am officially leaving you!

In the past some of you have questioned my sanity. Now, standing here in the midst of you all, I'm wondering about it too!

It's bittersweet to leave a workplace you've enjoyed. I might joke about the Monday morning blues, having to return to work after a weekend full of activities centered around family and friends, but that's all it is – a joke. I realize I have been very fortunate. This place, this work, and its people have meant so much to me. I am proud to have been a member of the team here.

Eight years ago you made it easy for me to feel at home. Smith and Black is a rare company. Its workplace is genuinely a mirror of its HR policy. Inclusion is more than a buzz word in a manual here. It's real! That makes it doubly difficult to leave.

Thank you for your belief in me, your support and your friendship. None of us achieve in isolation and the successes we've enjoyed together have been the result of our mutual cooperation and collaboration. It's a pleasure and a privilege to have worked alongside colleagues who understand how to bring the best out in each other.

In the middle of our daily business: meeting targets, initiating projects and developing new ones, it's all too easy to lose sight of the most important element of all in any organization – the person, the people. Us. You and me, as individu