It’s normal for team members to come and go, but when a bunch of team members leave at once, that can feel tough. You might freeze up and immediately resort to, “What will the rest of the staff think?” However, the way you choose to approach that conversation can sometimes be more impactful than the actual departure itself. Read on to discover how to announce the departure of an employee in a professional, positive manner.
- 5 steps to take when announcing the departure of an employee
- Why should you announce an employee’s departure?
- Meeting Templates
- 4 template examples for announcing an employee’s departure
5 steps to take when announcing the departure of an employee
It’s natural to see team members join and leave your team throughout the years, but that doesn’t make it any easier when folks move on. Breathe easy, though: Here’s how to announce your employee’s departure in a few simple, tension-breaking steps.
- Send an announcement email or hold a team meeting
- Be clear about what you’re announcing
- Include the date of leave and any other important information
- Invite everyone to a goodbye event
- Show your gratitude
1Send an announcement email or hold a team meeting
Once you learn that an employee is leaving and they share the details, it’s time to relay the message to the team. An announcement email can be a great way to do that if your team is small and everyone knows the person leaving. At a larger organization, you should instead invite that person’s team to a meeting to share the news. Share what you know about how this will change the team’s work and what gaps you’re working on closing.
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Prepare your difficult conversation into a thoughtful conversation by using a meeting management tool like Fellow to outline your thoughts and feedback!
2Be clear about what you’re announcing
The purpose of your email or meeting is to announce an employee’s departure. Be sure to include their name at the beginning of your email so that the rest of your team knows who you’re talking about. If you’re holding a meeting, name the employee who’s leaving rather than speaking around it in phrases like “there will be some changes here.”
3Include the date of leave and any other important information
Alongside the team member’s name, their leave date is just as important to mention. This way, everyone has ample time to prepare for the person’s departure.
You can also include personal information as to why your team member is leaving the company – but only if the person leaving allows you to. For example, if they’re leaving your organization to further their education, you can wish them the best of luck in the email. But if you’ve let the person go, it’s best not to mention that at all.
4Invite everyone to a goodbye event
When a team member is leaving on good terms, a goodbye event can be a great way to send them off. You should share the details of any events when you announce the team member’s departure. This gives their fellow team members plenty of time to get ready for the farewell event and make sure it’s on the calendar. If your organization decides to host the farewell party, make sure you share details such as the date, time, and location.
5Show your gratitude
End your departure announcement with a simple thank you to the team member for their time and contributions. Regardless of the reason for your team member’s departure, it’s important to always end on a positive note. You can also take time at the bottom of the email to touch on some of their achievements while they worked for your organization.
Why should you announce an employee’s departure?
You should announce an employee’s departure because transparency is always the best practice, especially if more than one team member is leaving. Plus, even if you don’t make the announcement, the news will get out one way or the other. Without you explaining the details first, staff members might come up with their own negative conclusions. That negative news can spread like wildfire, so it’s better to take ownership of the good, real news while you can.
A departure announcement also gives all your staff members enough time to say goodbye. Department heads will also need to figure out a way to oversee the departing person’s tasks until you find a replacement.
Meeting Templates
An employee departure may lead to a meeting such as an exit interview, off-boarding checklist, termination meeting and many more. Our ready-to-use templates will help facilitate these conversations with your employees.
4 template examples for announcing an employee’s departure
Sometimes, sending a team member off is a joyous occasion, an announcement that comes naturally. At other times, it can feel tough. Either way, you’ll find some inspiration below with three handy email templates.
- A formal example of a team member leaving to continue their education
- A formal example of an email for an employee who is moving
- A casual example of a retirement email
- A formal example of a layoff email
1A formal example of a team member leaving to continue their education
Dear [name of the organization and/or department] staff,
I am writing today to share that [team member full name] is leaving [name of your organization] on [date of departure]. [Team member first name] has made the decision to further [his/her/their] education by attending [name of school] full-time.
Please join us to celebrate [team member first name]’s success on [time and date] at [location]. [Team member first name] has made a large impact in our office these past [length of time they have worked for the organization], and we wish [her/him/them] the best of luck with their future endeavors.
As of [team member’s final day], please direct any questions to [department lead] until we find someone to fulfill [name of departing employee]’s position.
Sincerely,
[your name and title]
2A formal example of an email for an employee who is moving
Dear [name of organization and/or department] staff,
I’m writing today to notify you that [team member full name] is leaving the organization on [date of departure]. [Team member first name] is moving to [name of the place he/she/they are moving to] for [reason their moving]. Until we find a replacement, please direct all your questions to [name of the person in charge].
We will also host a farewell event for [first name of the person leaving] on [time and date] at [location]. We deeply appreciate all the hard work [name of team member] has done for us over the past [length of time spent working at the organization]. [Their/Her/His] [qualities and talents they possess] will be missed deeply. I personally would like to thank [name of employee] and wish them the very best of luck in their future endeavors.
Sincerely,
[your name and title]
3A casual example of a retirement email
Dear [name of organization and/or department] staff,
I’m writing a bittersweet message today to announce that [team member full name] will be leaving our staff, effective [date of departure], as they start their retirement. After working in our office for [how long they worked], we can’t blame [him/her/them] for wanting to live a life outside this organization, and any and all work. Until we find someone to take [her/his/their] position (though nobody can ever truly replace [her/him/them]), please direct all your questions to [name of person in charge].
Next Saturday, we will be celebrating [name of leaving employee] with a brunch at [time and location]. Please join me to reminisce on all the wonderful memories you’ve had with [name of departing employee] and welcome [departing team member’s first name] into retirement.
See you there!
[your name and title]
4 A formal example of a layoff email
Dear [Recipient name],
We regret to inform you of the decision of [company name] to lay you off from your position as [position name] effective [last day of work]. Consider this layoff as [temporary or permanent].
Please note that this layoff does not relate to your performance in the workplace.Thank you for your contributions to [company name]. If you have questions about the layoff process, kindly reach out to [contact name] for more information.
On behalf of [company name], We wish you the best in your future endeavours.
Sincerely,
[your name and title]
Prepare for your employee departure meetings with Fellow
Announcing a team member’s departure at a meeting can be the best way to squash any negative misconceptions before they even arise. To best prepare for your departure meeting, you’ll need a space where you can organize your ideas, create a meeting agenda, and exchange peer feedback. With Fellow, you can do all that through one streamlined platform. It’s the best way for you to share the news and figure out all the next steps together.
