Farewell Messages for a Coworker: What to Write in a Goodbye Card

A farewell message for a coworker is usually short, since a goodbye card at work often goes around the office with a small space for each person. A few warm, specific words are enough to thank someone and wish them well in a new job or a new city.

Below are goodbye messages for a coworker, a close work friend, a boss or manager, an employee and a whole team. You will also find funny and short farewell wishes, good luck messages for a new job and wording for your own last day at work.

Article contents

• How to Write a Farewell Message for a Coworker
• Farewell Messages for a Coworker
• Goodbye Messages for a Close Work Friend
• Farewell Messages for a Boss or Manager
• Farewell Messages for an Employee or Team Member
• Farewell Wishes From the Whole Team
• Going Away Messages for a Coworker Who Is Moving
• Farewell Messages for a Retiring Coworker
• Funny Farewell Messages for Coworkers
• Short Farewell Messages
• Good Luck Messages for a New Job
• Last Day at Work Messages for Your Coworkers
• Frequently Asked Questions

How to Write a Farewell Message for a Coworker

Most goodbye cards at work follow the same simple pattern. These steps work for a shared office card or a card of your own.

1. Start with their name and a thank you. Mention one thing they did that made your work easier, such as covering a shift or answering your questions in your first week.
2. Say you will miss them. One sentence is enough, and it can be about their humor, their help or their work ethic.
3. Wish them well in what comes next. Mention the new job, the move or the retirement if you know about it.
4. Sign off clearly. Use your full name in a large office, and add a personal email or phone number if you would like to stay in touch.

Here is an example: "Maria, thank you for helping me with the monthly reports and for always knowing where the good coffee was. I will miss working with you. Good luck at the new job, and please stay in touch. Dave"

Farewell Messages for a Coworker

These goodbye messages for a coworker fit most situations, from a desk neighbor to someone you worked with on a project.

• It has been a pleasure working with you. Best of luck in your next role.
• We will miss you around here. Thank you for everything you did for this team.
• Work will not be the same without you. Please keep in touch.
• I learned so much from you. Thank you, and best wishes in your new position.
• You made this a better place to work. Good luck with everything ahead.
• Thank you for your patience, your help and your good humor. We will miss you.
• I am sad to see you go, but I am excited for you. Congratulations.
• Your hard work did not go unnoticed. Thank you, and good luck.
• You were always willing to lend a hand. Your new team is lucky to have you.

Goodbye Messages for a Close Work Friend

When the coworker leaving is also a good friend, you can be more personal and make a plan to stay in touch.

• You were the best part of my workday. I am going to miss you so much.
• I will miss our daily chats. Keep in touch.
• Thank you for every coffee break, every pep talk and every inside joke. Let's keep the lunches going.
• We may not share an office anymore, but you are stuck with me as a friend.
• Lunch will be lonely without you. Let's set a date now so we actually do it.
• You started as a coworker and became one of my closest friends. I am so proud of you.
• I am happy for you and sad for me. Call me after your first week and tell me everything.
• Changing jobs will not change our friendship. Good luck, and text me often.

Farewell Messages for a Boss or Manager

A farewell message to your boss can be a little more formal. Thank them for their guidance and mention something they taught you.

• Thank you for being such a great manager. I have learned so much from you.
• You made this team what it is. Best of luck in your next role.
• Thank you for believing in me and giving me room to grow.
• It was an honor to work for you. Wishing you continued success.
• Thank you for your patience, your guidance and your open door. Your next team will be glad to have you.
• You set a great example for all of us. Thank you for everything.
• I appreciated your honest feedback and your encouragement. Both made me better at my job.
• Your leadership made coming to work easier. Congratulations on your new position.

Farewell Messages for an Employee or Team Member

A note from a manager should thank the person for their work and wish them well. Naming a specific project or quality makes it feel personal.

• Thank you for your hard work and dedication. It has been a pleasure to be your manager.
• You will be missed. Best of luck.
• You have been a great asset to this team. We wish you every success in your new role.
• I have watched you grow so much here. I am proud of you and excited for what comes next.
• Your work on the [project name] made a real difference. Thank you, and good luck.
• It was a pleasure working with you. Please keep in touch, and let me know if I can ever help.
• We are sorry to lose you, and we are happy for you. Congratulations on the new opportunity.
• Thank you for the care you put into your work. I look forward to hearing about your success.

Farewell Wishes From the Whole Team

When one card is signed by the whole team, it helps to have one person write a short group message at the top. Everyone else can then add their name and a line or two below it.

• From all of us, thank you for everything. We will miss you and wish you the very best.
• The team will not be the same without you. Good luck from all of us.
• We will miss you. Love, your team.
• Thank you for being such a great teammate. We are cheering for you.
• We are so proud of you. Best wishes from your friends in the [department name] department.
• Thank you for the laughs, the help and the hard work. With love from your whole team.
• You will always have friends here. Congratulations and good luck.
• Goodbye and good luck. We will miss you more than we can say.

Going Away Messages for a Coworker Who Is Moving

When a coworker is moving to a new city, wish them an easy move and a happy new home along with your goodbye.

• We will miss you, but we are so happy for you and your family. Good luck with the move.
• Wishing you a smooth move and a happy new home.
• Safe travels, and enjoy the new city.
• The office will be quieter without you. Send us pictures of the new place.
• Distance will not stop us from keeping in touch. Best wishes on your move.
• Good luck settling into your new city. I hope you love it there.
• If you are ever back in town, the first coffee is on me.
• Wishing you new friends, good neighbors and an easy move.

Farewell Messages for a Retiring Coworker

A retirement card can be a little more reflective, since it often marks the end of a long career. For many more ideas, see our retirement card messages.

• Congratulations on your retirement. You have earned every day of it.
• Thank you for all the years of hard work and friendship. Enjoy your retirement.
• We will miss your advice and your stories. Happy retirement.
• Thank you for everything you taught us. Wishing you a long and happy retirement.

Funny Farewell Messages for Coworkers

A funny goodbye message works best for a coworker you know well. Keep the joke kind, and add a sincere line if there is room.

• Good luck at the new job. Remember that we were your favorite team first.
• Now that you are leaving, I guess I will have to do my own work.
• Thanks for all the snacks from your desk drawer. I will miss them almost as much as you.
• Congratulations on the new job. Please remember us when you are famous.
• Please take the broken stapler with you.
• Sorry to see you go. I have no idea who will fix the printer now.
• Your new office has no idea how many bad jokes are coming. Good luck to them.
• I will miss complaining with you about the office thermostat. Good luck out there.

Short Farewell Messages

These one-line farewell wishes fit a crowded group card or the bottom of a gift tag.

• Best of luck. You will be missed.
• Thank you for everything. Good luck.
• It was a pleasure working with you.
• Wishing you all the best in your next role.
• Go do great things.
• Congratulations and good luck.
• Thank you for being a great coworker.
• Goodbye for now, and keep in touch.
• You made work better. Thank you.

Good Luck Messages for a New Job

If your coworker is leaving for a new job, a good luck message shows you are happy for them.

• Congratulations on the new job. They are lucky to have you.
• Good luck in your new job. I know you will do well.
• Best wishes on your first day and every day after.
• We are sad to see you go, but thrilled for you. Congratulations.
• You earned this. Best of luck in your new role.
• Go show them what you can do. We will be cheering for you.
• Good luck on your first day. Your new team is in for a treat.
• Your new coworkers are going to love working with you. Good luck.

Last Day at Work Messages for Your Coworkers

If you are the one leaving, a short goodbye email to coworkers or a card left on a few desks is a kind way to finish your time at a job. Thank people, share a way to reach you and keep the tone positive. Send it on your last day or the day before, and leave out the reasons you are leaving.

• Today is my last day here. Thank you all for your help, your patience and your friendship. You can reach me at [email].
• I wanted to say goodbye and thank you before I go. Working with this team has been one of the best parts of my career.
• As I finish my last day, I want to thank each of you for making this such a good place to work. Please keep in touch.
• Thank you for every lesson, every laugh and every favor. I will miss working with all of you.
• Thank you for welcoming me on my first day and supporting me every day after. I hope our paths cross again.
• I am sad to say goodbye, and I am grateful for the time we had together. My personal email is [email] if you want to stay in touch.
• To my manager: thank you for your guidance and for giving me the chance to grow here. I will not forget it.
• To my team: you made the hard days easier. Thank you, and I will be cheering you on.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I write in a farewell card for a coworker?

Thank them for something specific, say you will miss them and wish them well in their next job or move. In a shared card, one or two sentences is plenty. Sign with your full name so they know who wrote it.

What do you write in a goodbye card for a coworker you did not know well?

Keep it simple and friendly. A line such as "It was a pleasure working with you. Best of luck in your next role" is polite and fits any workplace. You do not need to add personal details.

Should I include my contact information in a goodbye card?

If you would like to stay in touch, yes. A personal email address or phone number is a helpful addition, since the person will lose access to their work email. Leave it off if you would rather keep things professional.

How long should a goodbye email to coworkers be?

A few short paragraphs is enough. Thank your coworkers, mention your last day and share how to reach you. Leave out complaints and detailed reasons for leaving.

Is it okay to write a funny message in a farewell card?

A funny message works well when you know the person and the team shares that sense of humor. Keep jokes kind and avoid jokes about the company or other coworkers. Adding a sincere line such as "We will miss you" keeps the message warm.

For more wording ideas, see our promotion and new job messages and our guide on how to sign a card. If you want to thank a coworker for their help before they go, take a look at our thank you cards for coworkers.

A blank card works well for a goodbye note because you can write as much or as little as you like. Our Nautical Lighthouse Cards and Vintage National Park Cards suit a coworker heading off to a new job or a new city. Each set has 12 blank cards with envelopes and is printed on 100% recycled paper.