How to write a retirement speech: a simple structure, three examples, and how to tell the stories well
A good retirement speech is short, specific and warm. Thank the right people, tell one or two real stories, say what comes next and stop while the room still wants more. Here is a five-part structure, how long to speak, three short examples and a template you can fill in tonight.
On this page
A five-part structure
- Thank people for coming. One or two sentences. Name the person who organized the party.
- Tell a story from the beginning. Your first day, first boss, first big mistake. Something specific that shows who you were then.
- Thank the people who made it possible. A mentor, the team, a partner or family at home. Say what each one did, not just their name.
- Say what you learned or will miss. One lesson or one thing you will miss, in a sentence or two.
- Look ahead and close. What comes next for you, then a toast or a plain thank-you.
Giving the speech for someone else? Use the same five parts, but every story and every thank-you is about them.
How long to speak
Three to five minutes is enough for most retirement parties. Spoken at an easy pace, that is roughly 400 to 700 words. Read your draft aloud with a timer. If it runs long, cut a story rather than speeding up.
Finding your stories
Most people freeze when they sit down to write about a whole career. Talking is easier. Ask a friend or family member to interview you for twenty minutes and record it on your phone. Questions that work:
- What do you remember about your first day?
- Who taught you the most, and what did they teach you?
- What is the funniest thing that ever happened at work?
- When did you feel proudest?
- What changed most between your first year and your last?
- What will you miss, and what will you not miss at all?
- What are you looking forward to now?
Listen back, pick the two best stories and write the speech around them. The guide to recording on an iPhone covers the setup, and if you want to keep going, life story interview questions turn a career into chapters.
Three example speeches
Your own retirement: "Thank you all for being here, and thank you, Dana, for putting this together. On my first day, thirty-one years ago, I parked in the CEO's spot because nobody told me there was one. He walked over, knocked on my window and said, 'You must be the new guy. Welcome. Move your car.' That was the whole orientation, and it taught me everything about this place: people here tell you the truth, kindly, and then help. To my team, thank you for covering for me on the days I forgot my glasses and on the days I forgot a lot more than that. To Carol at home, thank you for every late dinner you kept warm. I'll miss the people. I won't miss the 6 a.m. alarm. Next week I start teaching my granddaughter to fish, and I am told she is already better at it than I am. Please raise a glass, to the best people I have ever worked with."
For a coworker: "If you've ever had a problem nobody could solve, you know where you ended up: at Lou's desk. For twenty-two years, Lou has been the person who says, 'Let me look at it,' and then actually does. When our system went down the night before the big launch, Lou stayed until three in the morning and then brought donuts at eight. He taught all of us that being calm is a skill, not a personality. Lou, you're trading the help desk for a sailboat, and the lake has no idea what's coming. To Lou."
For a boss: "Maria hired me when I had more enthusiasm than experience, and she never once made me feel it. She has a rule: bring a problem, bring an idea. Every person in this room has stood in her doorway with a half-baked idea, and every one of us walked out with a better one. Maria, we are going to miss your red pen and your open door. Enjoy the garden, enjoy the grandkids, and know you built something here that keeps going. To Maria."
Example speeches written by Scribe Media; the names and details are invented.
A fill-in template
Thank you all for coming, and thank you, [organizer], for putting this together.
[A specific story from your first day, year or job.]
That taught me [what it taught you about the work or the people].
To [mentor or team], thank you for [what they did]. To [family or partner], thank you for [what they gave up or gave].
I'll miss [what you will miss]. I won't miss [something light].
Next, I'm [what comes next]. Please raise a glass to [the people or the place].
Giving the speech
- Print it in large type, or put key words on a card. Look up at the end of each sentence.
- Practice it out loud two or three times, once in front of someone.
- Slow down at the thank-yous. That is where emotion hits. Pause, breathe, keep going.
- Ask someone to record it. Years from now, your family will be glad to have it, and a transcript of the speech is a good first page if you ever write a book about your life.
Start here: answer "What do you remember about your first day?" out loud into your phone. That story is usually your opening.
Common questions
How long should a retirement speech be?
Three to five minutes is plenty for most retirement parties, which is roughly 400 to 700 words spoken at a relaxed pace. People are standing, holding drinks and waiting to toast you. Leave them wanting one more story.
What do you say in a retirement speech?
Thank the people who made the work possible, tell one or two short stories from your career, say what you learned or will miss, mention what comes next, and close with a toast or a simple thank-you.
How do you start a retirement speech?
Thank everyone for coming, then go straight to a specific memory, such as your first day, your first boss or the moment you knew you were in the right job. A story is a stronger opening than a list of years and titles.
Should a retirement speech be funny?
A little humor helps, especially about yourself. Avoid jokes at a coworker's expense or inside jokes only two people will get. The warm parts are what people remember.
What do you say in a retirement speech for a coworker?
Tell one story that shows who they are at work, name what they taught you or the team, mention what they are heading to next, and raise a glass to them. Keep it about them, not about you.
Sources: the structure, questions, example speeches, template and guidance were written by Scribe Media for this guide; no outside statistics or quotations are used. Word counts per minute are a rough guide for a relaxed speaking pace. Published by Scribe Media.