I left a job that I loved at a company that I loved. Personal reasons prompted me to make a departure. After working through the emotional and logistics of leaving were being sorted out I found myself thinking about the best way to communicate this decision.
Here is the communication strategy that I used:
- Conversation with my supervisor
- Followed by an official letter of resignation expressing my thanks for the opportunity to work with him the past several years.
- Announcement during a staff meeting notifying to my peers
- I had a set of talking points, expressing my thanks, sadness to be leaving, and some general next steps for the transition, including the next few parts of how we were going to communicate.
- Teams meeting with my staff and leadership volunteers
- I had a set of talking points, expressing my thanks, sadness to be leaving, and some general next steps for the transition, including the next few parts of how we were going to communicate.
- Where he thanked me for my service and announced the interim who would be transiting with me.
- Be prepared to spend 1-2 hours each day for the next 3 days responding to individual e-mails from your co-workers.
- 3 days before my final day, I put up an auto-response in my e-mail letting people know I was departing and who would be acting in my role after my departure.
- 2 days before my final day, I sent out an e-mail to my team thanking them for incredible work experience, sharing my persona information, and thanking the individual who was stepping in to act in my role during hiring.
- To my coworkers, x-number years ago, when I joined the company name, I saw the volunteer mission in action though our front-line members and knew I had joined an extraordinary organization. X-number years ago, I came into the current position where everyone of you is living the values of our mission, doing the work of 10 people every day, and knew I was in an extraordinary department. During my time in the department we have delivered the company mission with compassion, client focus and care. We have set a standard of exceptionalism that is highlighted with sparkle and sunshine I owe a tremendous thank you to each of you for the privilege to be the current position in department these past x-number years. Working with each of you has been a highlight of my career. I will always be part of the company family and look forward to joining our volunteer workforce in the future. I am grateful interim successor name has agreed to pause his current job title duties to serve as the interim current position, continuing to support each of you as we move our mission forward. As I move into this next chapter in my life, I truly hope that we will stay in touch. My personal contact information is: cell, e-mail & LinkedIn I would like to leave you with one final quote from Harriet Tubman. “Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.” Sincerely, My full name
- Be prepared to spend 1-2 hours each day for the next 3 days responding to individual contacts on your personal and work accounts from your co-workers.
- Month and Year marks the end of my chapter with the Company and the department. Delivering humanitarian aid on the frontlines of climate change in America has been an intensely rewarding experience, beyond any that I could have imagined. I am grateful for the Company family whom I have had the opportunity to work alongside over the past x-number years. As
I depart from my role as the current role, I continue to have a quote from Harriet Tubman echo in my mind that captures the mission delivered and the mission delivery ahead. “Always remember, you have
within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the
stars to change the world.”
- Be prepared to spend 1-2 hours each day for the next 3 days responding to individual contacts from across your networks.
