What to Write in a Farewell Card to a Coworker

Are you having difficulty thinking of a message to write on your colleague’s farewell card? You are not alone! We’ve all been there. Saying goodbye to a coworker can be tough for a lot of reasons. If you aren’t close to them, you may have a hard time thinking of what to say. If you were close, it might be difficult for you to put all of your feelings into just a few words. You want to keep your messages both meaningful and professional. This can be a tricky balance to strike.

Well, don’t fret, because we are here to help! We’ve compiled a list of messages you can put on the farewell card to a departing coworker. We’ve broken them down into 4 main categories: formal, heartfelt, funny, and enthusiastic.

Select a tone you think is appropriate based on your relationship with your colleague. You can copy one of our messages or simply use them as inspiration. You can even combine elements of multiple messages to create your own. So, without further ado, here’s our list of goodbye messages for your coworker, broken down according to category.

Formal messages

If you didn’t know your soon-to-be ex-colleague very well, you might want to create a message with a formal tone. In a formal message, you stick to general words of encouragement. That way, you can give your coworker a meaningful message, even if you weren’t close. Here are our top formal messages:

• Good luck! I know you will rise to the challenge of your new position. Wishing you continued success.
• It’s been great working with you! Best of luck in whatever comes next!
• Good luck with your new career path! The sky is the limit!
• Best wishes on your next big step! Keep up the excellent work.
• Take care! It’s been fun. I hope you can make the most of your new situation!
• Congratulations on the new position! I’m sure you’ll do a terrific job.
• Moving to a new job is always an adventure! I wish you luck, and I’m sure you’ll do a fantastic job.
• I wish you all the success in the world with your new job.
• You have contributed so much to this company. Thank you for all of your hard work! I know that you will continue to do great work with your new organization.
• Farewell! You are a terrific worker, which bodes well for your future at your new company. I know you’ll have great success!
• It’s been a pleasure to work with you. With your skill set and work ethic, I know you will be a great asset to your new company!
• It’s been great to have you as a part of the team. Good luck!
• Take care! Best of luck on all of your future ventures!
• Thank you for being a valuable member of our team for so long. Your contributions will be missed!
• Kind regards and best wishes in your new endeavor. Your contributions to workplace culture were invaluable, and I do not doubt that you will continue to shine in your next job.
• Farewell! It has been an honor to work with you. I wish you continued success and good fortune in your future.
• Best wishes to you and yours! May you find your next position fulfilling and engaging!
• Thank you for your positive contributions to the workplace culture here. Best wishes!
• I didn’t get to know you as well as I would have liked, but I appreciated the positive energy you brought to the team. Good luck with the next significant steps in your career.
• Your performance here was consistent and excellent. May you continue to succeed in your new vocation.
• Congratulations! I’m glad you found a position elsewhere that you feel will be more fulfilling. While we recognize that this is a loss for our company, we wish you great success with your new team.
• Goodbye! Thank you for everything you did for the team. May all of your future ventures meet with good fortune.
• May you meet with good luck and prosperity in this next phase of your career. Take care!
• I wish you luck and happiness as you turn over a new leaf in your life! I am grateful for the good attitude and organization you brought to the office each and every day.
• Congrats on moving to the next stage of your career. Hopefully, I’ll see you around sometime!
• You have been a very good employee! Thank you for your long and faithful service to this company—best wishes to you and your family.

Heartfelt messages

Often, we meet some of our best friends at work. If you and your coworker were close, write them a heartfelt farewell message. In a heartfelt message, you talk to them about how much you’ll miss them and how their friendship is valuable to you. You can also give them personal advice and loving encouragement. Don’t forget to add your contact info so you can stay in touch! Here are some of our ideas for heartfelt messages:

• Good luck in your new position! So excited for you & this new journey you're on! We'll miss you.
• Good luck with your new job. I know you will shine brightly and succeed. Love you!
• I’m so happy for you! Keep on being awesome at your new job! I’ll always be in your corner!
• Happy to hear the good news! Proud of you and wish you the very best! It's been so great working with you. Congrats.
• Well, my friend, you had a good run. I know that you're going to kill it at your new job! They’re lucky to have you!
• Good luck in your new position! So excited for you & this new journey you're on! We'll miss you.
• I’m going to miss you, buddy! You lit up the office every day! Whatever your future holds, I know you’ll do a great job.
• Best wishes for your new venture! I'm so proud of you!
• Working with you has been a blast! I’m sure going to miss you! Don’t be a stranger!
• Thanks so much for being a terrific coworker! The friendship we’ve developed means a lot to me. Keep in touch!
• Work won’t be the same without you! You’re a great coworker and an even better friend! I hope this new phase of your career is everything you’ve dreamed of and more!
• I’m happy for you but sad for me! You’re going to be missed around here! Be good! I’m going to miss you, my friend! Keep in touch.
• Love you, buddy! You have all the potential in the world! Whatever you do, you’re going to be good at it. Be good and keep in touch!
• Goodbye, my friend! I’ll miss saying hi to you every morning! Your smile lights up the room!
• I’m so proud of you for following your dreams! You made the right decision, but I’m sure going to miss you! Be good and be well, pal!
• I’m sad to see you go! You are a wonderful coworker and an even better friend. Whatever the future holds for you, know that I’ve got your back. Stay in touch! Hopefully, our paths will cross again soon!
• While you will be missed, I am so excited to see you move on to the next chapter of your saga! If you keep doing all of the things that got to where you are today, there’s no limit to what you can achieve. I will always be rooting for you!
• Sayonara, friend! You’re good at everything you do, so I know you’ll be a huge success at your new company. I’ve got great hopes for you!
• Cheerio, mate! We’ll all miss you! Work smart and work hard!
• May you find fulfillment and happiness in your new position, and may you be prosperous in all of your undertakings. I’ll miss you!
• Thank you for all of the help you gave me when I was just starting out at this company. You were instrumental in helping me to adapt to my position here. You always made me feel welcome! Thank you so much for the difference you made in my life. May you achieve all of the happiness and success you so richly deserve!
• So, this is it! After all these years, you're finally moving on to greener pastures! I couldn’t be happier for you! You’re going to do extraordinary things. Give my love and congratulations to your family as well. This is such a big step for all of you!
• Look at you, making those dreams come true! I’m so happy for you (and a little jealous)! Keep in touch! Love you.
• Thanks for being a great friend for all of these years! You made every day working here a blast! Thanks for your support and encouragement. If you ever need anything, you know who to call :)

Enthusiastic messages

Everybody loves enthusiastic words of encouragement! This tone is perfect for someone who you liked but didn’t get to interact with much. They are less sentimental than the heartfelt category but a little more upbeat and personal than the formal variety. Here are a few examples of enthusiastic messages you can send:

• Sending you good vibes and positivity in this new and exciting adventure! You're gonna do great!
• Yay! I’m so excited for you! I know you’ll do great at your new job because you were great here!
• This will be a great next step for you! Your future is bright!
• Best wishes, my friend! You’re super talented, so I know you’re going to be great at whatever you choose to do in the future!
• Good luck! I don’t know what the future holds for you, but I know it’ll be a great adventure!
• This new job will be great for you! I’m sad to see you go, but I know you will do awesome stuff.

• I’m so excited to see what happens in this new chapter of your life! Congrats!
• Congratulations! You’re future is bright! You are going to thrive in your new work environment.
• You’re the man, my friend! You’re gonna rock the world!
• You go, girl! Keep on moving up in the world! I’m proud of you! Keep killing it! You’ll go far!
• You’re a superstar! Keep on being awesome! You're going to do great things in the world!
• You are unstoppable! Keep doing what you do! Wishing you continued success and happiness!
• Bon voyage! Your new employers are lucky to have you!
• So long! May all your future paths lead you to happiness and fulfillment!
• Congrats on your new job! You’re amazing! Keep believing in yourself!
• It’s been fun! Best of luck with your new job!
• Way to go, buddy! I’m so happy that you found a new job! Keep up the great work!

Funny messages

The best coworkers are the ones you can joke around with! Give your work buddy something to laugh about! Add a funny message to their farewell card. Remember to keep your jokes appropriate for the workplace! Here are some messages that could make your coworker laugh:

• Best of luck, my friend! Don’t tell the others, but you were always my favorite coworker!
• Traitor! You dare turn your back on us!? Jk, I love you, bud! I know you’ll be fantastic in your new position.
• One doesn’t simply walk out of this company…without getting a terrific sendoff! Best of luck to you, my friend.
• Best of luck! Knowing you, you're going to need it, LOL
• Best wishes for the future! Always follow your dreams. Unless your dreams stink. Then don’t follow them.
• Good luck, buddy! You’ll do great! Your future’s so bright that I can’t look at it without sunglasses!
• Don’t go! Whose lunch will to eat after you’re gone?
• Fare thee well, brave sir! May fortune smile upon thy new quest! Godspeed!
• Take care! I always thought you were a great coworker, no matter what everyone else said about you!
• I just came to the farewell party for the food. Just kidding! Best of luck, my friend. You’ll do great!

• Farewell! I’ll miss that silly look you get on your face whenever something goes wrong.
• You are the champion, my friend! Keep being awesome, queen!
• You’re a good man, Charlie Brown! Good luck with your new job!
• Congrats! You’ll go far. As far as I’m concerned, the further you go, the better! In all seriousness, it’s been a pleasure working with you, and I wish you all the success in the world!
• Ciao! I’d tell you to work smart, not hard, but working too hard was never one of your vices ;) Keep in touch, buddy!
• Adios, Bromigo! Don’t party too hard at your new job!
• You will be missed. I don’t know by whom, but surely someone will! Just kidding! Best wishes, ol’ pal!
• This place won’t be the same without you. It will be way better! Haha! Seriously though, I’ll miss you, friend! Be good!
• Boy, am I going to miss annoying you every day! It was always the highlight of my week! I guess I am going to have to pass the mantle on to one of your new coworkers.
• Goodbye, whatsyername! We’ll have a hard time replacing you at whatever it was you did here. Best of luck at the other place you're going to and all of the stuff you’ll do there.
• Now that you are leaving, I’m glad I don’t have to pretend to like you;) Jk, you’re the best! Keep in touch, my friend!
• I didn’t know you existed until someone asked me to sign this card. Hello and goodbye!
• Glad to see you finally made it out of Shawshank! Haha! Congrats! Take care, buddy!

Don't forget the card!

And that’s our list! We hope you found it helpful. Getting the right farewell card can be just as impactful as the messages in it. Our virtual farewell card for colleagues is a great option. You can create one in just 4 simple steps! Because the card is digital, you don’t have to chase down your colleagues to get them to sign it. You just send a link to your colleagues, and they can each add their own farewell messages. They can also add memes, GIFs, or videos to their messages.

In addition to the card, you should do something with your colleague before they ride off into the sunset. There are some great party ideas so you can send your work friend off in style.