How Can I Arrange a Memorable Farewell and Speech for a Senior Employee?

Dear Seniors, please suggest how I can arrange a farewell for one of our senior employees. Kindly provide me with a speech ASAP.

Regards,
Nayana

Being an HR professional, always strive to deliver your role excellently. I would like to suggest a few things for such occasions, and I hope you will find them helpful:

1. Collect the history of the employee, including personal achievements within the company and their behavioral approach towards others. Create a small PowerPoint presentation with beautiful photographs of them.

2. Share unforgettable moments experienced with this employee, highlighting their dedication to the job and specific interactions with them with everyone at the time of their farewell.

3. Offer them flowers and a thoughtful gift as a token of appreciation from all employees.

4. Ask their colleagues, co-staff, and subordinates to share their thoughts and experiences about the employee.

5. Provide some traditional treats and refreshments for everyone to enjoy during the function.

Remember, every departing employee is a Brand Ambassador for your organization, so ensure they leave the company with a happy heart. I trust you will be able to execute these suggestions with ease. Please feel free to reach out for any assistance.

Regards,
Atul S Malve
Manager - HR & Admin
[Email Removed For Privacy Reasons]

Just to add on, please try to arrange a video recording of the farewell program for the employee who is leaving. You can then make a CD out of it and arrange to send it as a gift along with a card to the employee's home address. This will be the most cherished gift for the individual and their family, and it will also have a very positive impact on the current employees who will know that the organization cares for them.

Thanks

Points for Consideration for a Farewell Function

1. Arrange a function at the appropriate time.
2. Ensure at least one speech by a senior representative of the company. Request the person leaving to say a few words.
3. Present a memento.
4. Clear the person's dues on the same day, if possible.
5. Record the function and post it on the site.
6. Provide a CD as already suggested by a member.
7. Escort the person to the exit point of the company.

Regards,
Col. Suresh Rathi

In addition to the above, I would like to add that you should invite his family members to attend that day as well. Also, consider creating a photo album of the function and aim to hand it over the following day.

Nowadays, some HR professionals also think that if a person is working with us, it means they are a nice person. Once they decide to leave the organization, it implies they are not an employee we can trust. This is commendable about you, Nayana, that you want to make plans for better and healthier exit procedures and are inviting ideas. The time of joining your organization and the last working day of an employee are both very important occasions where we need to make a positive impression on the minds of the employees. In these two situations, one never gets a second chance to create a positive impression.

Suggestions for a Positive Exit Experience

In my view, you can do the following:

• Collect their working history and the contributions made in your organization.

• Arrange a small party (tea/snacks) and provide a kit containing a relieving letter, a letter of appreciation, if possible, final settlement and dues, a small memento, and any items they deposited at the time of joining. Invite their fellow colleagues and immediate boss to say a few words about them.

• Arrange small meetings with HR and ask them why they are looking to shift jobs, their open feedback about the organization and the working environment provided to them, any suggestions and views for improvement, and how we can facilitate the new employee who is going to replace them.

Make sure they feel recognized for the services they have already rendered with you. If possible, take some beautiful snaps of that exit function and send them to them after they leave the organization.

All the best to you, Nayana.

Namaste/Gurubhyonamaha

I really liked the above idea by Mr. Atul Malve and I have a question: what will be the correct timing to arrange such functions or a party? And how long, at the maximum, can it be?

Regards,
Karthikeyan K
Chennai

Nayana,

You can arrange a function (the scale will depend on the size of the organization) either within your premises or outside (again depending on available funds and/or current practice, the seniority of the employee, and length of service). His colleagues from the department, along with one representative from all other departments, can attend it. Avoid it being too formal, but HR should arrange it perfectly.

Regards,
Abhay Damle