The main purposes of a retirement announcement are to wish the retiree well and share the news of their departure with the people who will be most impacted. There’s no single way to do this and the best approach will depend on your company, the circumstances of the retirement, and the person being recognized.
A retirement announcement can be a simple message sent via email, a feature on your company blog or social media pages, or an official statement that’s issued like a press release announcing a joint venture, new accreditation, or another major development.
To move forward with a retirement announcement that’s both suitable for your organization and the retiree whom you’re recognizing, consider the following example and writing tips.
And since knowing what not to say is just as important as having something to say, this article will also look at common retirement announcement mistakes so you know what to avoid.
A Retirement Announcement Example
The following example is a simple and brief way to announce a retirement, which can be modified and expanded where appropriate.
Here at 123 Organization, we have had the privilege to work with John Smith.
As many of you know, John Smith has been our production department manager for 10 years and a large portion of his long career as a production specialist.
This coming Friday, January 10th, John Smith will be departing from 123 Organization to begin his retirement.
John has always been an exemplary employee and is an accomplished professional. Though we are sorry to see him go, we wish him all the best as he retires.
Ideas For Sharing A Retirement Announcement
In addition to sending out a retirement announcement as an internal communication, many organizations choose to spotlight an employee’s retirement by issuing a public announcement.
Doing so can create a positive impression, as it shows that your company celebrates and values its employees. A public retirement announcement is also suitable if people outside of your company will be impacted by this news.
If the employee worked in a capacity that had them dealing directly with clients, such as a service agent who has a regular relationship with customers, then a public retirement announcement is appropriate.
A public retirement announcement is also suitable if the retiree is a high-level executive or someone who has played a role in your organization’s founding or its critical decisions. Issuing an official announcement will allow your company to recognize that individual’s contributions, explain what will change with their departure, and if applicable, introduce a successor.
Just as your company might issue a press release to publicize a new employee, this content can also be useful for announcing the retirement of an influential member of your team. To learn how to write a press release that thoroughly but concisely shares this news, a press release template can show you how to take your information and apply it to the correct format.
Retirement Announcement Mistakes To Avoid
Regardless of how you plan to share the retirement news, you’ll want to avoid the following mistakes, which could turn a warm and professional send-off into something unfortunate or inappropriate.
Surprising The Retiree
While you might want to surprise the retiree, doing so with the content of a retirement announcement can be risky, especially if you are unaware of all the circumstances that have led to their decision to retire. Make sure you reach out and get permission before issuing any announcement, especially if the announcement will be public.
Oversharing
Even if your company has a very casual culture, it’s best to keep the retirement announcement professional and respectable. Only include info about the retiree’s personal plans, such as how they intend to spend their leisure time, with their express permission.
Being Too Impersonal
Keeping the announcement professional doesn’t mean it has to be bland and impersonal. If the announcement can be applied to anyone by simply changing the name and date, it’s a safe bet that you need to add more to make the retiree feel valued. One way to do this is to include quotes from colleagues to wish the retiree well and highlight how they contributed as an individual.
Ignoring The Rest Of The Retiree’s Career
While you know the retiree because of their role at your organization and may want to make that the focus, a truly impactful retirement announcement will commemorate the retiree’s overall achievements and parts of their career that go beyond their time at your company, such as their unique qualifications and notable professional milestones they’ve reached.
