What to Write in a Leaving Card for a Colleague

A leaving card for a colleague should sound like you, not like a template. The trick is to name one real thing you'll miss — a project you survived together, the coffee runs, the way they always covered for you — and keep it short. Here are messages you can borrow, whether they were a close work friend or someone from the next team over.

What Do You Write in a Leaving Card for a Colleague?

Pick the one that fits your relationship and make it yours:

• "It won't be the same without you here. Thank you for everything — go be brilliant."
• A short one: "So happy for you, so sad for us. Good luck out there!"
• A funny one: "Who am I supposed to blame things on now? Devastated. Congratulations."
• For your manager: "Thank you for leading by example and always having our backs. You'll be missed."
• For someone you didn't know well: "Wishing you all the best in this next chapter — you'll do great things."
• For a mentor: "You taught me more than you know. I'll carry it with me. Thank you."
• For a close work friend: "Lunch breaks are officially cancelled. Kidding — go get 'em. I'm proud of you."
• For someone starting a new job: "They're lucky to have you. Don't forget us little people when you're famous."

Tips for a Goodbye That Doesn't Feel Generic

• Name something specific. "Good luck" is forgettable; "good luck — and thanks for saving the campaign last March" isn't.
• Match the tone to the person. A close friend can take a joke; a senior leader you barely know gets sincerity.
• Sign your name and your team, so they still know exactly who you are months from now.

Sign It Together in Under a Minute

If more than one person wants to say goodbye, don't carry a paper card around the office — half the team is probably remote anyway. Start a group card everyone can sign, share the link, and each person adds their own message from wherever they are. Xwish's AI can even help each signer find the words, then tie every message into one warm send-off.

FAQ

What should you write in a leaving card for a colleague you don't know well?

Keep it warm and general: wish them luck in the new role and say they'll be missed by the team. One sincere sentence beats a forced inside joke you don't actually have.

Is it okay to be funny in a colleague's leaving card?

Yes, if you're close and the mood is light. A little humour ("who do I blame now?") lands well between work friends — just make sure it ends on a genuinely kind note.

How do you get the whole team to sign a leaving card?

Start a group card online and drop the link in your team chat. Everyone signs from their own device, no account needed, so remote and in-office colleagues can all add a message before the last day.