Retirement speech writer

Retirement speeches come in two kinds: the one you give at your own leaving do, and the tribute you give to a colleague. Both work the same way: a little history, one or two stories, genuine thanks, and a toast to what comes next.

  • 3–5 mintypical length
  • 390–650words at 130 wpm
  • 4 partsopen · the story · their impact · what’s next
  1. 1 Occasion
  2. 2 Your memories
  3. 3 Edit & rehearse

Draft your retirement speech

Specifics make the speech yours: places, years, habits, things they always say. 0/1500
Tone
Typical for this occasion: 3–5 minutes.

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Retirement speech0 words · 0:00

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The structure of a retirement speech

Tap each part to see what it does and where it sits in this sample. The bar shows how the sample divides its time: the story gets the most room, the ending the least.

1. Open

Set the scene: how long, where, and a smile.

In this sample: 33 words, about 0:15 spoken, 28% of the speech.

Sample retirement speech116 words · 0:54

Thirty-one years ago Linda joined accounts with a desk, a calculator and a spider plant. The plant is still here. After today, it will be the only one who remembers the fax machine.

In 2009 our servers crashed on the last day of month-end. While the rest of us panicked, Linda pulled a paper ledger out of her drawer and closed the books by hand, by six o’clock.

That is what she has given this company: calm, and the quiet certainty that someone always knew where the numbers were. Half of us learned our jobs from her.

Linda, enjoy the garden, the grandchildren and your first Monday without an alarm. Please raise your glasses to Linda.

How to write a retirement speech, step by step

  1. Note key facts: years, roles, milestones.
  2. Collect one or two stories from colleagues.
  3. Say what impact they had.
  4. Add a wish for their retirement.
  5. Keep it under five minutes.
Do✓
  • Include colleagues’ stories
  • Keep workplace jokes inclusive
  • Mention their plans for retirement
  • Thank them sincerely
Don’t✕
  • Joke about age
  • Air office politics
  • Read a list of job titles
  • Overrun the event

Retirement speech questions

What should I say in my own retirement speech?

Thank colleagues and your family, share one or two memories, say what you’ll miss, and tell people what you are looking forward to. Three to five minutes.

How long should a retirement speech be?

Three to five minutes, around 400 to 650 words.

How do I write a retirement tribute for a coworker?

Gather stories from colleagues, choose the one that best shows their character, describe their impact and end with a toast to their next chapter.