Retirement speeches - from the person who is retiring

Retirement speeches from the person who is retiring should be light-hearted, sincere and thankful in tone. A little bit of nostalgia adds to retirement speeches. In retirement speeches it is appropriate to remember past colleagues and perhaps the growth of the firm over the years you have served there.

What to include in retirement speeches:

• An interesting opening to catch the attention of colleagues and friends.
• A mention of some incident during your working life. It might be the time there was a burglary or the time the company got its first major order or it could be the introduction of the Internet.
• A thank you for gifts and best wishes.
• A mention of your plans for the future. These might include more time with family or joining the local stamp collecting club or taking up horse riding. You might, of course, have decided to be a consultant and if so you should acknowledge all you have learned while working in the company.
• Sometimes it is appropriate to thank a family member or staff member for organizing the party.
• A mention of colleagues or even the boss who made a difference to your working life. A retirement speech is an occasion to be personal in your remarks and to acknowledge the part people have played during your working years. So do thank the tea lady or mention the janitor if appropriate. The people who shared your office should, of course, get a special mention.
• A funny story always adds to a retirement speech.

What should not be included:

• Anything blue or smutty or offensive
• A mention of anything personal that might upset a family member or colleague (e.g. alcoholism)

How to end:

• Retirement speeches (From the retiree) should end with a promise not to forget old friends and a pledge to make the most of retirement.

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