A farewell card for the colleague everyone will miss

By the Kehdoo team · Updated 28 October 2026

A group farewell card for a colleague collects personal leaving messages from the whole team, including people working remotely. Share one signing link, give everyone a deadline and send the completed card on their last day. Choose a professional, heartfelt or playful theme to suit the relationship.

What do you write in a colleague's leaving card?

Write about your own experience of working with them. Mention something they made easier, a moment you remember or a habit you appreciated. End with a wish for their next role or whatever comes next, without assuming details they have not shared.

"You always made room for questions, even during the busiest weeks. Thank you for helping me find my feet. Wishing you a brilliant next step." This works for a colleague you know well enough to thank personally without turning the message into a speech.

How should a card from the whole office be organised?

Ask one person to create the card and circulate the contribution link. Include a short instruction: "Please add your message by Thursday lunchtime; we are sharing the card at Friday's farewell." Invite people across teams and former teammates when appropriate, rather than relying on one department's chat.

Keep the invitation separate from the recipient's chat so the surprise is not revealed early. Check the organiser's view before sending the final reminder. A clear deadline is more useful than repeatedly asking everyone whether they have signed.

Which design works for a professional farewell?

Minimal, with love suits a formal workplace or a colleague who prefers understated design. Letters from all of us works for a warm team goodbye. A newspaper farewell card suits a group with shared stories and gentle humour.

Avoid forcing a travel theme onto every job change. A person leaving one company may still live nearby and see the same friends. Choose the boarding pass when the recipient enjoys that metaphor or is actually moving away.

What if you do not know why they are leaving?

Keep the message kind and neutral. "Thank you for everything you brought to the team. Wishing you good things ahead" does not speculate about a new employer, retirement or personal circumstances. Let the recipient decide how much detail to share.

For a manager, thank them for a concrete action rather than writing a performance review. For a close work friend, one shared memory can carry the message. The farewell wording guide includes examples for both relationships.

How do you include remote colleagues?

Send the link early enough for different working hours, and use an explicit time zone in the invitation. Present the finished card during the farewell call if there is one, then give the recipient the link for a slower read later. See the remote team farewell checklist.