Farewell speech for your last day, written with care
Leaving a job or a team after years together is emotional, and a send-off speech often comes up on short notice. Tell your todo.is agent where you're going, who to thank and a memory or two. It writes a gracious farewell speech of 2 to 3 minutes that stays positive, even if the job wasn't always easy.
The prompt
- Write a farewell speech for my last day at [ORGANIZATION OR TEAM]. I have been there [HOW LONG] as [YOUR ROLE], and I am leaving because [REASON FOR LEAVING]. People I want to thank and why: [PEOPLE TO THANK]. A memory the group will recognize: [SHARED MEMORY]. What I learned or will miss most: [WHAT YOU WILL MISS]. Make it 2 to 3 minutes, sincere with a little humor, and strictly positive: no complaints or comments about management, even subtle ones. End with good wishes for the team and how to stay in touch ([CONTACT DETAILS]). Send it as a Word file and a short cue card. Also write a 3-line version I can post in the team chat afterwards.
What to change
- [ORGANIZATION OR TEAM]: e.g. "the marketing team at Northwind" or "St. Mary's Primary School".
- [HOW LONG]: e.g. "five years".
- [YOUR ROLE]: e.g. "content lead" or "year 4 teacher".
- [REASON FOR LEAVING]: Only what you want to say, e.g. "moving to Lisbon", "starting my own studio" or "a new role elsewhere".
- [PEOPLE TO THANK]: e.g. "Ravi, who hired me; the design team; Gloria at reception for the morning chats".
- [SHARED MEMORY]: e.g. "the launch week when the website crashed and we ordered 14 pizzas".
- [WHAT YOU WILL MISS]: e.g. "Friday demos, how honest this team is with feedback".
- [CONTACT DETAILS]: e.g. "my LinkedIn" or "my personal email".
Example result
- Farewell speech: last day at Northwind marketing (about 2.5 minutes)
- Hi everyone. Thank you for coming, and thank you for the card, which I am choosing to believe nobody signed out of obligation.
- Five years ago, I joined Northwind as a junior writer who was a bit scared of the brand guidelines. Today, I'm leaving as content lead, still a bit scared of the brand guidelines, but with a lot more friends.
- Thank-yous
- To Ravi, who hired me on the strength of a portfolio that had more enthusiasm than experience. Thank you for taking the chance and for every honest piece of feedback since.
- To the design team, who made my words look far better than they read. To Hana, my desk neighbour, for the snacks and the patience. And to Gloria at reception, whose good morning set the tone for every single day.
- The memory
- Most of you remember launch week two years ago, when the website crashed an hour before the campaign went live. We fixed it, we launched on time, and we ate 14 pizzas in the meeting room at midnight. That night is when I understood what this team is like under pressure: calm, funny and impossible to beat.
- What I'll miss
- I'll miss Friday demos. I'll miss how honest this team is, even when the honest answer is "that headline doesn't work." I've become a better writer and a better colleague because of you.
- Goodbye
- I'm moving to Lisbon to start a new chapter, and I'm excited, but I'm also going to miss you more than I can say here without getting emotional. Please stay in touch. You'll find me on LinkedIn, and if you're ever in Lisbon, the coffee is on me.
- Thank you for five wonderful years. Good luck with everything that comes next. I know it will be brilliant.
- Team chat version
- "Today is my last day at Northwind. Thank you all for five years of launches, honest feedback and far too much pizza. Let's stay in touch on LinkedIn, and visit me in Lisbon!"
How to do it with todo.is
- Copy the prompt and change each [bracket] to your team, your reason for leaving and the people you want to thank.
- Paste it into todo.is on the Today screen, or send it to your agent on Slack, WhatsApp or Telegram.
- Your agent sends a Word file, a cue card and a short version for the team chat.
- Ask for tweaks such as "make it more emotional" or "add a line for my manager in Madrid".
Tips for a better result
- Stay positive even if you are leaving on mixed terms. People remember the last thing you say.
- Thank people for specific things. "For every honest piece of feedback" lands better than "for everything".
- Keep the reason for leaving short. You don't owe anyone a full explanation.
- Use one shared memory the whole room knows, so everyone feels part of the goodbye.
- Ask your agent to also draft your goodbye email to coworkers so the message is consistent.
farewell speech: FAQ
- How long should a farewell speech be? Two to three minutes is right for an office send-off, around 300 to 400 words. Keep it shorter if you are speaking over lunch or online.
- What should I say in a farewell speech at work? Thank the team and a few people by name, share a memory, say what you learned or will miss, and wish them well. Add how to stay in touch.
- Should I mention why I'm leaving? Only if you want to, and keep it to one positive line like "I'm moving to Lisbon" or "I'm starting something new."
- Can I use this for a farewell speech for a colleague who is leaving? Yes. Say you are speaking about someone else and share their details. Your agent writes a send-off from the team's point of view.
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