Employees leave for various reasons: to make more money, go back to school, to move on to different employment opportunities, to travel, to raise a family, because of health issues, or for any one of a number of other reasons. Having an established policy in place to communicate with employees who are leaving the company will help you to handle an employee’s departure in a positive and respectful manner. It will also provide documentation of the employee’s resignation. Here’s information on company resignation policies, tips for accepting an employee’s resignation, and examples of a resignation acceptance letter and email.
Company Resignation Policies
Depending on the size of your company, you may want to consider creating a system or process for handling resignation letters. Having a set policy for resignations will ensure resignations are handled professionally and will put both the company and employees who are moving on at ease. When an employee officially resigns, they will look to you to discuss the next steps required to make the transition a smooth one. It is the company’s responsibility to offer professional separation services and to explain things to the employee like notice requirements, final paycheck distribution, the status of employee benefits upon termination, and to establish his or her last date of employment.
Tips for Writing a Letter Accepting a Resignation
One of the first steps in a good resignation policy is to acknowledge that you accept an employee’s request to resign. Typically, the employee will send you a formal letter of resignation. You should then respond with a formal letter accepting the resignation. Here are some tips on writing a formal letter accepting an employee’s resignation:
Use business letter format. Because this is a professional letter, you should use business letter format for your letter. In the top left corner of the letter, include your contact information, the date, and the employee’s contact information. Conclude the letter with your handwritten signature, and your name typed below. Accept the resignation. Your letter should inform the employee that you have received and accepted his or her resignation letter, and it should clearly state their official last day of work with the company. Express understanding. Your response should indicate that you regret losing the employee, but you respect, understand, and appreciate the hard decision he or she has had to make. You might also offer to provide some assistance to the employee. For example, you might offer to provide a reference letter for him or her. However, this offer is optional. Keep a record. Send one letter to the employee and keep one for the employee’s file. You might keep the letter yourself or send it to your human resources office, if you have one. It will allow you to maintain a clear record of when the employee left the company.
Tips for Sending an Email Resignation Acceptance
These days, many employees send their resignation letters via email. Depending on the circumstances and your company culture, this may be a totally acceptable way to resign. In that case, you may reply via email as well. To keep the interaction professional and positive, observe the following tips:
Write a professional email. Although you may omit the address paragraphs and (obviously) the handwritten signature, the rest of your note should resemble business letter format. Don’t use casual language that’s more appropriate for personal correspondence. Skip text-speak, emoticons, and the like. Use the right subject line. Unless you’re replying directly to the employee’s resignation email, you should select a subject line that clearly communicates the topic of the email, e.g., “Resignation Acceptance and Congratulations.” Consider providing your non-work email or an invitation to connect later on LinkedIn. This is assuming, of course, that you’d be willing to provide a reference or referral in the future. Proofread and test your message before sending it. Accepting a resignation is an opportunity for you to grow your network, as well. Ensuring that your message is error-free and professional will enable you to strengthen your networking connection with your former employee.
Examples of Letters Accepting a Resignation
The following are examples of letters from a manager accepting an employee’s resignation. Use these examples to help you write your own letter. July 18, 2022 Miles Johnson7 Oak StreetMiddleford, Ohio 44822 Dear Miles, Your resignation from your position has been accepted, effective on July 29, 2022, as requested. I have no doubt you will continue to perform to your usual high standards during your remaining time with the company. It has been a pleasure working with you, and I wish you all the best in the future. If I can provide a reference, please do not hesitate to ask. Sincerely, Signature (hard copy letter) Julia Sanchez July 20, 2022 Sara Smith34 Bay StreetVillage Creek, Calif. 94019 Dear Sara, It is with regret that I formally acknowledge receipt of your resignation notice on July 18th. Your resignation has been approved and, as requested, your final day of work here at JQB and Sons will be July 29, 2022. It has been a pleasure working with you, and on behalf of the team, I would like to wish you the very best in all your future endeavors. Included with this letter, please find an information packet with detailed information on the resignation process. If you have any additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact the office. Thank you again for your positive attitude and hard work all these years. All the best, Signature (hard copy letter) George Baptiste Dear Liz, I was sorry to hear that you’ll be moving on from QRS Inc., but I’m pleased to hear that you have such an exciting new opportunity in the works. I know you’ll be a tremendous success there, as you are in all your roles. This constitutes my formal receipt of your resignation. As requested, your last day will be August 5, 2022. Please keep in touch and let me know if you ever need a letter of recommendation. Best regards, Jon Burton Manager, QRS, Inc.Jburton@qrs-mail.com555-123-4567
