When bidding goodbye to the job in a few days, sending a farewell email to colleagues you've bonded with over time is thoughtful. Drafting a goodbye email may feel uncomfortable or unclear. 

You might have many thoughts to write in the email, but when you open your laptop to write it, you cannot think of anything. All your ideas for humorous punchlines to not make the email too sentimental or professional and positive opening lines are just gone. 

Some people struggle with not having the right words to express their feelings, and some cannot comprehend how to say many things in two to three paragraphs. 

No matter what problem you are facing, this guide has got your back! We'll share tips for crafting a warm yet professional farewell email to your coworkers. A thoughtful farewell email maintains relationships with colleagues while you close the chapter and move on to the next one. These strategies and example templates will help you write a sincere yet professional email.

Should You Send a Farewell Email?

The first question to ask yourself is - should you send a farewell email to colleagues? Here are some things to consider:

• Do you wish to remain in contact with your colleague in the future for personal or professional reasons? A goodbye email helps preserve relationships.
• Did you work closely with a team or collaborate extensively with certain coworkers? An email is a thoughtful gesture if you work interdependently.
• Are farewell emails to colleagues in the office an established norm at your company when people leave? Following the norm is the safest option if that cultural precedent exists.
• Do you want an avenue to express gratitude to your colleagues before you go? Email gives you a chance to say thanks politely.

In most cases where you had positive relationships, sending a goodbye email to colleagues is a nice approach as you transition out. Just keep the audience and message professional. 

Tips to Write a Clear and Concise Farewell Email to Colleagues

Here are some things to consider while drafting a farewell email to your colleague:

1. Keep it short and positive.

A long email can come across as excessive or be daunting to read through fully. Summarize the highlights positively in a concise way. Celebrate shared accomplishments and express gratitude without dredging up frustrations.

2. Thank people and highlight moments.

Appreciate and express gratitude to colleagues for their mentoring, talents, or collaboration. Pick one or two standout projects or wins that were meaningful career highlights. It personalizes the experience.

3. Offer contact info if you’re open to it.

If you want to continue personal friendships with some colleagues, offer your LinkedIn profile, email address, or phone number so you can stay in touch. Make it clear you’re open to future conversations.

4. Time your message correctly. 

The farewell email should always come after you have handed in your two weeks' final notice, which means during your last day or two with the company. It is best to send the goodbye email to colleagues sooner in case any recipients want you to tie up any loose ends.

5. Mention your last date.

Remember to include your last date in your farewell email to colleagues in the office. It is essential to clear the air and announce your actual day of leaving. 

6. Proofread carefully before hitting the send button. 

Before sending this vital email, diligently proofread for errors or awkward phrasing. Read aloud to double-check that nothing feels off. Remember, polishing and proofreading preserve professionalism.

7. Adapt messaging thoughtfully. 

While one template can be tailored, relationships likely differ across coworkers. Get more personal with closer mentors who enriched your career or life. Keep it succinctly professional for executives you didn’t work extensively with. Use your common sense regarding vulnerability and boundaries based on the depth of connection.

Following these basic rules of thumb will help you craft goodbye emails to colleagues that are brief, professional, thoughtful, and tailored to your work relationships.

Farewell Email Templates & Examples

Having sample templates to work from makes writing your farewell email using templates easier.

Here are a few professional templates and suggestions for what to include if you want to write goodbye emails to colleagues and contacts when leaving the company. You can schedule your email and send it back later after rechecking and reviewing it for the final time.

1. Goodbye and Farewell Email to the Manager

2. Farewell Email to Long-Time Coworkers 

3. Farewell Email to Direct Report 

Beyond templates, actual goodbye emails for colleagues with short messages can also aid your writing process:

4. Short and Simple Goodbye Email

This quick sample demonstrates how a short farewell email to colleagues can still be meaningful. Moreover, you can deliver bulk emails, express gratitude, and offer future contact if desired in just a few seconds. When relationships are more surface-level, leaving things open but short is perfectly professional.

5. Humorous Farewell & Goodbye Email

Don’t be afraid to show your personality if that aligns with your relationships and company culture. This playful example embraces inside jokes and fun memories to end things on a lighthearted note.

It demonstrates that farewell emails can include humor when appropriate. Share some of the laughs you had rather than just strictly business highlights with the right introduction for emails. 

6. Sincere Farewell Example

When work relationships include close friendships or mentors more like family, celebrating the human bonds you formed is important. 

Having Trouble in Writing Business Emails? Neo Smart Write Can Help! 

If you have problems crafting a professional and heartful email to your coworkers, the Neo Smart Write feature can help! All you need to do is enter the prompt, choose the tonality, choose length, and click on Generate. Your personal AI writing assistance will draft a clear, concise, and impactful message that fulfills your purpose! 

Conclusion

When you leave a company, writing a farewell email to colleagues and coworkers is an art. You want to walk that fine line between professional and friendly. 

Hopefully, these tips, template examples, and real-life samples offer helpful guidance to craft your goodbye email. The most important thing is to communicate gratitude, preserve relationships that matter, and end things on a polite, positive note.

Frequently Asked Questions 

1. Do I need to write and email all my colleagues goodbye? 

While sending a farewell email to colleagues when you have positive working relationships is thoughtful, it is optional to skip sending one if you have difficult or distant relationships with some coworkers.

2. What level of personal details should I include when writing a farewell email? 

Adapt the content and tone based on how well you knew each person, incorporate more personal details and memories for closer connections you had, but keep things more concise and strictly professional for acquaintances.

3. If I'm retiring after many years, what are the three recommended things to mention in my farewell email? 

When writing farewell emails to colleagues when retiring, mention your full tenure, one or two career accomplishments you feel very proud of, a nostalgic memory, or something special you'll miss about working there. If applicable, any planned retirement party or hopes to stay in touch with colleagues.