Goodbyes are hard. And it’s even more challenging when you must say goodbye through email.
Recently, I left my full-time teaching position to pursue a writing career. Sending a farewell email to my close colleagues, unaware of my decision to transition to a new job, was bittersweet.
I preferred to say goodbye in person, but sometimes, time only allows for a farewell email. And that’s okay.
If you want to preserve your relationship with your colleagues or keep a line of communication open, you’ll like to send a proper goodbye email.
I asked ChatGPT to help me write a farewell email to my coworkers. This is what I got.
What Chat GPT Wrote Me
It’s easy to get hung up on writing the perfect farewell email.
Do you send a heartfelt message? How do you address the whole team? What about your clients? What do you say to them?
To answer some of those questions, I asked ChatGPT to write farewell emails to various colleagues and partners.
Here’s what ChatGPT wrote for me.
Farewell email for the entire team
Sometimes, it’s best to inform your whole team of your plans to leave your position. In my experience, emailing the listserv means no one misses your important and exciting announcement.
Here’s the prompt you should use in ChatGPT to write your goodbye email to your team.
“I have recently accepted a new position with another company. I am sad to leave my team. Write an email to my team expressing my gratitude and my departure.”
Here’s ChatGPT’s response.
ChatGPT’s response is a decently worded farewell email. The draft considers your feelings while also expressing gratitude for your team. The response isn’t too long or clunky like some ChaGPT responses tend to be.
You can use this response as a first draft of your goodbye message. And, if you want to make it more personal, add a tasteful inside joke that your team will make your team smile.
Pro tip: If you have a particular way you end emails, don’t end your email with “Warm regards.” Instead, stick with your classic email signature.
Farewell email for your work best friend
Work besties, we all have them. And they can be the hardest people to break the news that you’re leaving for a new opportunity.
If you can’t talk with your work bestie in person, consider sending them a farewell email using this ChatGPT prompt.
At first glance, the ChatGPT response is rather long. But when you read it, the response does an excellent job of expressing the connection you made with your work friend.
If you send this to your friend without editing the post, your work best friend will likely recognize the ChatGPT response. And although it is a decent draft of a goodbye message, it lacks the personal touch that can only come from you.
Pro tip: Use this draft as a starting point for your goodbye message. Edit the draft so the message is shorter, and add your spin to the email.
Farewell email for your boss
Emailing your boss your farewell message might be the most challenging part of saying goodbye.
Depending on your relationship with your boss, you might need to write a formal email compared to what you would send to your team or work friend.
I used this prompt to write a farewell message to my boss: “Write me a goodbye email to my boss, who is leaving for a new role.”
When you email your boss about your departure from the company, you’ll want to express your appreciation for your boss’s leadership during your time with the team.
Doing so helps keep an open line of communication and preserves your working relationship with your boss.
This ChatGPT response is a decent draft of what I would send to my boss. It thoroughly expresses gratitude and appreciation.
The overall response is a great starting point for your farewell email. Once again, though, the draft is rather long, so you should shorten it for better readability.
Pro tip: Read your draft out loud to help you better hear the tone of the email. You’ll want your farewell message to your boss to come across as positive.
Farewell email for your clients
If you work in a capacity that allows you to work with and serve clients, you might not be able to speak with them all in person about your departure.
Sending a farewell email to your clients is an easy way to ensure you haven’t missed someone. Plus, it helps open the door for future partnerships in other roles.
I used ChatGPT to draft a farewell email to clients. This is the prompt I used: “I am leaving the company. In my role, I worked closely with clients. I want to keep the door open to my working relationship with them. Write my goodbye email.”
Check out this response.
The generated response conveys gratitude for the client and their business. It’s also worded in such a way that lets the client know you’d like to continue working with them if the opportunity is available in the future.
Once again, the email is lengthy. If I received this email, I would skim it and potentially miss an important detail, like your contact details. If you use this prompt to draft your farewell email to clients, edit the draft.
You might want to include a personal anecdote to show how much you value the client’s relationship with you.
Pro tip: Before sharing your personal contact information with your clients, double-check with your boss to ensure this is okay.
You might appear to be poaching clients from your former company, and you do not want to burn bridges inadvertently.
Farewell email for your direct reports
If you’re in a leadership position, you must email your supervisees about your decision to leave the company. This is just a common courtesy. Plus, your message gives your supervisees a clear, written plan of who they will report to.
Here’s the prompt I gave to ChatGPT to write a farewell email to my supervisees:
“I am a supervisor. I need to tell my supervisees that I am leaving. Please write my farewell email. They will report to the department manager until there is a replacement.”
If you’re leaving your team, you’ll want to express your appreciation and gratitude to them for helping them accomplish the company’s goals. This ChatGPT response accomplishes that.
It also allows you to insert your contact information to continue a relationship with your direct reports.
The response also does an excellent job of explaining to your direct reports who they should report to after your departure. This is essential information your supervisees need to know before your last day in the office.
Pro tip: Bold or highlight your direct reports’ temporary supervisor. That way, this critical detail doesn’t get lost in your message.
The Perfect Farewell Email Template
The generated responses to the farewell email prompts are long. Long emails are okay, but your recipient will often scan or skim the email, looking for important details.
It’s best to keep your farewell email short, concise, and to the point.
Based on my experience with the ChatGPT responses, I’ve created the perfect email template you can copy, paste, edit, and save.
Essential parts of a farewell email
Subject Line
The subject line of your email is crucial. Think of it as your opening line. You need it to convey your message succinctly so it doesn’t get lost in the recipient’s inbox.
You can say something like, “Important Update: Farewell and Thank You,” to guarantee your email will be read.
Greeting
Start off your email with a greeting. ChatGPT’s greeting is, “I hope this message finds you well.” I think this is an appropriate opener to use in any email message.
You might also say, “I hope you’re having a great day!” to express the same sentiment.
Main Message
The main message of your email should be concise. ChatGPT’s responses were lengthy. You can express the same message but in fewer words. Keep the body of the message short — no more than three paragraphs.
Highlight or bold any critical information, like who your direct reports will report to in the future.
Alternate Contact Information
Leave alternate contact information if you want to leave the door open for future relationships. Leaving this part out is okay if you’re uncomfortable sharing your email address or phone number.
Closing
ChatGPT’s closing is usually “Warm regards.” This is a fine response, but it can read too formal. If that’s not your standard closing, choose something more aligned with your style and voice.
Sign-offs like “Best wishes” or “I wish you the best of luck in the future” are excellent closing statements.
A Farewell Email Template
Save this template to your Google Drive and use it the next time you leave your current role.
Subject: An Important Update: Goodbye and Thank You
Dear [Coworkers/Team/Boss/Clients]--
I hope this email finds you well. I have some news to share with you. I have accepted a new position with [new company name] and will be leaving [old company] on [date of departure].
I have sincerely enjoyed working with you and learned a lot while employed here with [company name]. I will forever be grateful for your friendship, guidance, and support during my time here.
Although it is bittersweet, I am looking forward to my new role. If you need to reach me after my departure, you can email me at [email address] or call me at [phone number].
Thank you again for making my time here at [company name] special. I wish you the best in your future endeavors.
Best of luck to you–
[Your name]
Saying Goodbye
If you need to write a farewell message to your team, ChatGPT’s farewell email responses are great starting points for your draft farewell email. Or use the prompt I’ve provided for you — just fill it in with your company’s name.
Either way, include your spin on the message to make it more personal for your team.
