The leaving card goes round the office, it lands on your desk, and suddenly you're staring at a blank corner of it with a pen in your hand. You liked this person. You just have no idea what to say that isn't "Good luck, all the best!"
A good farewell message for a colleague doesn't need to be clever. It needs to sound like you, and ideally it should mention one real thing you shared at work. Below you'll find a simple way to write one, then example messages for different situations: a close work friend, a boss, someone you hardly spoke to, and even someone who is leaving on a difficult note.
Quick answer
Use three short parts: thank them for something specific, say what you'll miss, and wish them well in what comes next. For example: "Thank you for always covering for me on Monday mornings. The team won't be the same without your laugh. Wishing you every success in the new job."
If you only have room for one line, keep the wish and drop the rest: "It was a pleasure working with you. All the best in the next chapter."
For a close colleague or work friend
This is the person you had lunch with and trusted. You can be warmer and more personal here, and say you'll stay in touch if you mean it.
- "I honestly don't know who I'm going to send memes to during meetings now. Thank you for making this job so much easier to show up to. Let's not lose touch."
- "You were the first person who helped me when I joined, and you never once made me feel silly for asking. I'm going to miss you a lot. Go and be brilliant."
- "Work friends are rare, and I got a good one. Thank you for every tea break and every pep talk. Your new team has no idea how lucky they are."
For a manager or boss
With a manager, keep it sincere and a little more formal. The best line you can write is one that names something they taught you or a way they made your work better.
- "Thank you for trusting me with work I wasn't sure I could do. I learned more under you than I expected to. Wishing you all the best in your new role."
- "You were the kind of manager who listened before deciding. That made a real difference to this team. You'll be missed."
- "Thank you for your patience, your feedback and your support, especially during the busy months. It has been a privilege to work for you."
For someone who is retiring
Retirement is a farewell and a celebration at the same time. Thank them for their years of work and wish them a happy, relaxed time ahead.
- "Thank you for all the years of hard work and good advice. Enjoy every slow morning you've earned."
- "This place has been better because you were in it. Wishing you a long, happy and very well-rested retirement."
- "No more alarms, no more traffic. Congratulations on your retirement, and thank you for everything you gave this team."
For someone you barely knew
You don't need to pretend you were close. A short, polite and kind note is perfectly fine, and it's far better than leaving the space empty.
- "I didn't get to work with you as much as I'd have liked, but you were always friendly to me. Best of luck in your next role."
- "Wishing you every success in the new job. It was nice having you on the team."
From the whole team or office
When one person writes on behalf of everyone, use "we" and keep it warm but general, so it fits the whole group.
- "From all of us on the team: thank you for your hard work, your good humour and your patience with our endless questions. We'll miss you."
- "The office will be quieter without you, and not in a good way. Everyone here wishes you the very best in your new job."
- "Thank you for everything you brought to this team. You leave with our thanks, our good wishes and an open invitation to visit."
When they are leaving on a hard note
Sometimes people leave after a layoff, a difficult year or a disagreement. Don't mention the reason, don't take sides, and don't pretend it's a happy occasion if it isn't. Focus on them as a person and on what's ahead.
- "I'm sorry to see you go. You were a real asset to this team, and I know the right place is out there for you. Please stay in touch."
- "Whatever comes next, I hope it treats you better than this year did. It was a genuine pleasure working with you."
- "Your skills and your kindness will go with you. If I can ever help with a reference or an introduction, just ask."
Only offer a reference or introduction if you're actually willing to give one.
Funny but safe
A light joke can make a goodbye feel warmer. Keep it about shared, harmless office life, and avoid anything about their looks, their performance or the company's problems.
- "Who is going to fix the printer now? Seriously, we're doomed. Good luck, and thank you."
- "Congratulations on escaping our team meetings. We'll try to keep them under an hour in your honour."
- "Your new office has no idea what's coming. Best of luck, and please leave us your snack drawer."
Short lines for a shared leaving card
If the paper card is already crowded, short is good. These fit in a small corner:
- "It's been a pleasure. All the best!"
- "We'll miss you. Go shine."
- "Thank you for everything. Good luck!"
- "Lucky new team. Sad old team."
- "Keep in touch, and best of luck."
If they're starting a new job, our good luck messages for a new job guide has more lines you can borrow.
What to avoid
- Gossip or complaints about the company. Leaving cards get read by others, and sometimes kept for years.
- Asking why they're leaving or how much the new job pays. If they want to share, they will.
- Inside jokes that might embarrass them in front of their manager or family.
- Empty promises. "Let's catch up soon" is nice, but only if you'll actually message them.
Sending it as a card with photos
If your colleague works remotely or you'd like something more personal than a corner of a paper card, you can make an animated farewell card with the free farewell card maker on this site. It's free and there's no signup.
- Pick the occasion and a design. Farewell is under "Life Events". Under "Templates For This Occasion" you'll see calm, understated designs such as Quiet Note and Soft Petals, which suit a goodbye better than party colours.
- Add photos if you like. Up to three: a team photo, an office outing, a shared project. Photos are optional.
- Write the message. You have up to 500 characters, which is plenty for any of the examples above. You can add up to 12 animated stickers, but a few is usually enough.
- Get the link and send it. Under "Link Expiry" choose 7 or 14 days, tap "Get My Link", then share it on WhatsApp, Telegram, Facebook, X or Email, or copy the link. They open it in their browser, with no app needed.
For a team goodbye, one person can make the card and write the message on behalf of everyone, using one of the "from all of us" lines above. The card is deleted automatically after expiry (7 or 14 days), so if they might want to keep the words, mention that in your chat message. For a full walkthrough, see how to make an animated wish card.
Frequently asked questions
What should I write in a leaving card for a coworker?
Thank them for something specific, say you'll miss them, and wish them well. One or two sentences is enough for most cards.
Is it okay to write a funny farewell message?
Yes, if you know the person enjoys humour and the joke is kind. Keep it about everyday office life, never about them personally, and add a sincere line at the end.
What do I write to a boss who is leaving?
Thank them for one thing they did well, such as their support, trust or advice, and wish them success. Keep the tone respectful and warm.
What if I didn't know the person well?
Keep it short and polite: "It was nice working with you. Best of luck in your next role." Nobody expects a long note from someone they rarely worked with.
Final takeaway
A farewell message for a colleague works best when it's simple and true. Thank them for one real thing, tell them they'll be missed, and wish them well. Whether it goes in a crowded paper card or a card of its own sent on WhatsApp, a few honest words are what they'll remember.