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How To Write a Goodbye Email to Coworkers (With Examples)

By Indeed Editorial Team

Updated May 23, 2022 | Published November 6, 2018

Updated May 23, 2022

Published November 6, 2018

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Related: How to Say Goodbye to a Coworker

Learn how to say goodbye to a coworker whether it’s you or a coworker that is moving on to a new role.

When you’re leaving a job, you may want to send a farewell email to your colleagues. This email should be sent after you’ve given formal notice and submitted a resignation letter to your employer and as you’re preparing to leave.

In this article, we explain why you should send a farewell email to your coworkers and we offer you tips and examples to help you compose your professional goodbye email.

Why you should send a farewell email

There are three primary reasons to send your coworkers a farewell email:

It’s good etiquette

When you’ve worked with a group of people for several months or years, you often form close bonds. A well-composed goodbye email gives you a chance to thank your teammates and supervisors for the time you’ve shared and provide contact information so you can stay in touch.

It maintains your network

As you move forward in your career, former colleagues and managers can become a critical part of your network. These contacts can make helpful references and may introduce you to new opportunities in the future.

It helps you share information about the transition plan

When you leave your job, people who work with you regularly to handle various tasks and projects may be unsure about who they should approach instead. Additionally, if you were responsible for managing a system, process or set of information, a goodbye email can provide a reference for what to do after your departure.

A farewell email can help clear up any confusion and communicate new procedures. This will help ensure a smooth, streamlined transition for your former teammates.

Related: 5 Ways To Say Farewell to a Coworker and Why It’s Important

Four tips for writing a goodbye email to coworkers

Sending a goodbye email to your colleagues is an important step in transitioning out of a job. By using the following tips, you can write a comprehensive goodbye email and turn your attention toward the next step in your career.

Keep it positive

The point of a goodbye email is to show gratitude to the people you’ve worked with and to create opportunities to connect in the future. Be sure to keep the message light and positive, reserving any negative opinions about the company or unprofessional remarks. Remember: your farewell email is your last chance to make a good impression before you move on to the next step in your career.

Send it before your last day

Be sure to send the email at least a day or two before you leave to ensure your colleagues have enough time to react and respond. Some people may have questions about the transition plan, and others may want to have a chance to say goodbye in person and trade contact information.

Share alternate contact information

Most employers turn off an employee’s email access before or immediately after they leave the company, and some people may not see your message until you’ve already gone. Be sure to include your phone number, personal email address and other ways your colleagues may be able to reach you in the future.

Keep it concise

A goodbye email does not need to exceed one or two paragraphs. All you need is a brief thank you, a method for others to get in touch, details on the transition plan and, if you choose, a sentence or two communicating your next venture.

Related: Giving a Farewell Speech at Work (With Tips and Examples)

Who should receive your goodbye email?

You should send a farewell message to everyone with whom you’ve had regular interaction throughout your time with the organization. If you work for a small company where you’ve had the chance to meet all employees, it’s best to send an email to everyone. If you work for a large organization, you may opt to send the email only to people within your department and those outside your department who you’ve collaborated with on various projects or assignments.

Additionally, there may be some colleagues with whom you’ve developed a deeper bond than others. In those cases, you may choose to send an additional, personal email.

Related: 8 Things To Do on Your Last Day of Work

Goodbye email examples

Here are several examples of goodbye emails to send in the workplace:

Example 1: Goodbye email to a group of coworkers

Subject Line: Moving On

My Fellow ABC Company Employees,

I wanted to let you all know that I have accepted another opportunity and my last day with ABC Company will be tomorrow, October 3.

While I am looking forward to the next steps in my career, I will deeply miss working with each of you. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time with this company and am especially grateful to have met each of you.

If you have any questions regarding my accounts, please reach out to Mandy Jenkins, who is stepping into my role until the new account manager begins Nov. 1.

Please feel free to keep in touch. You can reach me at my personal email address j.weiss85@email.com or on my cell at 555-123-0045.

Thank you again, and best of luck in all your future endeavors!

Sincerely,
Jacob Weiss

Example 2: Goodbye email to a close colleague

Subject Line: Thank You

Hi Camila,

I wanted to let you know I’ve accepted another opportunity and my last day with ABC Company will be next Friday.

I am so thankful for my time here and especially grateful for your mentorship over the past four years. I could not have achieved all that I did without your constant support and encouragement. I will never forget the lessons you shared.

I’ll be moving to Philadelphia to start my new job at the end of the month. I would love to get together for coffee before then, but if not I hope you’ll keep in touch. You can reach me at a.stefanopoulos@email.com or by phone at 555-678-9101.

Thank you again for everything!

Best,
Alexis

Example 3: Goodbye email to your manager or superior

Subject line: Thank you for everything

Dear Joan,

As you know, today is my final day with Paulus and Associates. The past three years have been an invaluable experience for my career, so I wanted to send a note letting you know how much I’ve enjoyed my time here.

Under your leadership, I’ve grown not only as a lawyer but also as a person. No one has influenced me more than you in that regard. It is bittersweet for me to move on to my next role, but I’ll always look back on my time here with gratitude.

Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me if there’s anything I can ever do for you.

Sincerely,
Willa

Related: How To Write a Thank-You Letter to a Boss After Your Resignation (With Template and Examples)

Example 4: Goodbye email to your clients

Subject line: New contact

Dear Sweetheart Farm Co.,

I’m writing to let you know my last day with Reach Out PR will be March 6. It’s been a pleasure working with you on your campaign this past year, and enjoyed getting to know your team during the dozens of events we put together.

Your new point of contact at Reach Out is Elaine, and I know you’ll be happy in her capable hands. She’s cc’d here and will be reaching out to you later this week to set up a call. Over the next two weeks, I’ll be working with her to assist in this transition as well as tie up any loose ends, so please do reach out if you have any questions or concerns before my departure.

All the best,
Colin

Example 5: Goodbye email to your direct reports

Subject line: My contact info

Team:

As you all know, my final day with ABC Co. is fast approaching. It’s hard to believe this Friday will be our last team brainstorming lunch, but we sure have thought up a bunch of ideas at these weekly meetings! While I’m excited for my next opportunity, I will greatly miss working with each of you and can’t wait to watch you continue to soar without me.

I’m including my personal contact information at the bottom of this email so you can always know where to find me. And if there’s anything else I can do to assist with the transition in the next few days, my door is always open.

Talk soon,
Genevieve
[personal email]
[personal phone]
[personal social media profile link]

Related: How To Quit a Job: Leaving on Good Terms

We share strategies for providing verbal resignation notice to your employer, composing a resignation letter and preparing coworkers for your departure.