How to Make an Employee Resignation Announcement

An employee resignation announcement is a written document created to notify staff and customers of the business you are leaving the company. The goal of communication is to let everyone know that you won’t be working for the business after a specific date. It usually includes information about how employees should handle the departing staff member’s responsibilities after their final day of work. The resignation announcement to staff may or may not provide a reason for leaving.

When you’re leaving a position or a company, how you make your resignation announcement sets the tone for your departure and future relationship with the company. You should put some thought into your resignation announcement memo. Here are a few reasons why it matters how you exit, whether it be because you’re retiring, heading to another job, or taking a sabbatical:

• A considerate employee resignation announcement can leave the door open to return to the business someday.
• Knowing how to properly notify staff of an employee resignation is a sign of professionalism and a skill that serves you well throughout your career.

Resignation announcements vary some based on the nature and circumstances of your departure. For example, a letter you write to announce your retirement may look very different from the one you send if you are leaving for another job. However, here are six elements that should be included in almost all employee departure announcement letters. The components can guide you when structuring a resignation letter:

A formal greeting

When possible and practical, consider sending an individual resignation announcement to each person directly affected. If you are writing to an individual, it’s acceptable to use their full name and any formal titles. When individual notifications are not possible and you are writing to a group of coworkers, you might address your letter to the team as a whole using terms such as ‘Dear coworkers’ or ‘Dear Sales Department.’ No matter which way you go with the greeting, keep it friendly but professional.

A sentence announcing your resignation and the date of your last day of work

This sentence should be the first one in the body of the letter. Arguably the most critical part of the message is the last date you plan to work for the business. Try to make sure this date is at least two weeks after you send the letter. Some jobs require more than the customary two weeks, so be sure to research this if you aren’t sure how much notice to give in your employee departure announcement.

A description of your role in the transition process

Many companies use the period between giving your notice and your last day of employment to hire and train your replacement. Sometimes, a former employer may call or contact you to ask you a question about something after your last day of work. If you are willing to help out this way, this is a good place to describe what you are ready to do.

A paragraph of gratitude for your time with the company

Closing your letter with a description of what you have learned in this job and how it will benefit your future career development is a positive way to end your time with a company. Your last impression on your supervisors and coworkers should be a good one in case you end up wanting to return to the company one day or need to ask someone there to serve as a reference for you.

Your future contact information

Leaving your mailing address, a phone number, and an email address where you can be reached after your departure is a professional courtesy that saves the company time if someone needs to contact you in the future. It’s also an excellent way to stay in touch with coworkers. Check your company’s policies on how to announce an employee is leaving. Some companies don’t allow the sharing of personal information in mass communication.

A professional closing and your signature

Using a closing like ‘Sincerely’ is acceptable in this form of business communication. You may choose to print out your letter and sign it by hand before you forward it to the intended audience in case there is any question later as to the letter’s authenticity.

Here is a resignation announcement example to help you structure your communication. The framework includes the six important components of how to announce an employee is leaving:

Dear team:

With mixed emotions, I am sending you this resignation letter to let you know that my last day with the company will be December 31, 2020. After discussing with the Human Resources Department and supervisors, I will use the next few weeks to train the person who will take over my accounts. Incoming leads will go directly to that person to minimize the number of clients who experience a representative change.

I want to say thank you for all you have taught me during my time with the company. You are a genuinely stellar team. The skills I have developed working alongside you will serve me well in the future, no matter where my career path takes me.

Should you need to reach me in the future, or if you would like to stay in touch, my email is a.johnson@email.com, and my phone number is (999) 999-9999.

Sincerely,

[Signature]