Retirement Speech Ideas

Find one or more retirement speech ideas to ensure you give a speech that makes your retiree feel special.

Retirement Speech Ideas Covered:

length of service, positions in the company, work performance, personality, team player, stories, strength of character, future plans, quotes and toast

Length of Service

Most retirees would like it mentioned how long they have worked for the company.

Make sure you get the duration or year they joint correct. Human resources would be the most likely department to have the correct information.

Year started work - did another momentous event occur in the same year( new president, royal wedding), nice to make a comparison.

Length been with company - alternatively state the years been with the company. You could compare with a jail sentence- even life isn’t that long.

Positions in the company

For some-one who has been with the company a long time, it is unusual for them to have held the same position. If they have, congratulate them. Otherwise you may wish to mention some of their different roles.

Job positions held- similar or not, duration.
Different bosses- compatiblity.

Work Performance

People like to hear their praises sung. If the retiree has done a great job let him know, if the work was below standard don't draw attention to it in a retirement speech. Not only will you embarrass the retiree but the audience will feel uncomfortable.

Ability- was there a particular area they excelled in (timekeeping, reports).
Results- were targets met or exceeded.
Team member- did she work well in a team, any examples.

Personality

Moving away from work, talk about the retiree as a person.

Always cheerful- got a smile for everyone.
Grumpy until caffeine fix- did you know to avoid him till after that first coffee.

Team Player

A popular phrase nowadays but probably wasn't even in the dictionary when the retiree started working for the company. Did she like to be a team member outside the usual working day?

Sports- did she represent the company in any sport?
Trivia Nights- was he a wealth of information?
Team Building Days- was she there or conveniently absence?

Stories

When someone has worked for a company for a long time there are bound to be stories which is a great chance to give a roasting. However, since a speech is a time for honoring the retiree be selective as to what stories or roasts, if any, you include. Remember, family members may also be at the retirement event so stick with light hearted stories.

Funny incidents - understanding new technology.
Helping out a colleague- working unpaid, overtime late in the night to help some-one.
New directions- were they instrumental in new policies and direction for the company.
Eating habits- Packed lunch or straight out the door to local eatery.

Strength of Character

The older we get the greater the chance of experiencing some challenges. Has the retiree shown her strength of character in such events:

Coping with a bereavement in or outside the workplace.
Surviving a disaster- office fire, bombing.

Future Plans

Retirees often like to brag to their colleagues how they will be spending their retirement years, so help them with their bragging. Include it in your speech.

Is he taking his dream holiday ?- cruise.
Will she move house- to be nearer grandchildren?
Will he now have a full time hobby?- create a money earning web site

Quotes

Include one of the many quotes about retirement: funny, general or even cheerless. Don't however, fill your speech with quotes keep it to one or two.

Toast

A toast will conclude a retirement speech just perfectly if it done correctly.

I hope you have been able to get some retirement speech ideas from this list. I wish you all the best with your speech.

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