Retirement Dinner Speeches

Speeches Commemorate the Moment

It's a valuable ability to say goodbye and thank you to colleagues and bosses, who have, for a large part, been your family-from-family for so many years. It lets people take stock of all the hours of work they have put into their career and the people who have made those hours worthwhile.

No matter the industry, regardless of the career, retirement speeches are one way to put the cherry on top of the lasting impression a person makes. It is a way to gain closure on one particular aspect of life before embarking on the next chapter of life, with the hope that it will be every bit as rewarding and exciting as the chapter just finished.

The Importance of Retirement Dinner Speeches

Retirement is one of those milestones, like marriage, kids, and home ownership that let people reflect on what they have accomplished. It is a very important part of the career cycle, and should be treated respectfully.

Giving good retirement dinner speeches is integral to letting work colleagues know how grateful a person is for their efforts. Work colleagues often become close friends, confidants, and much more. To be given an opportunity to thank everyone sincerely lets the newly-retired employee plan ahead to give the best speech possible.

There are usually a lot of bases to cover in a good speech, but there are certain things to look out for that will improve any retirement speech, regardless of whether the speaker is a natural or not.

Dos and Don’ts of a Good Speech

When writing a good retirement dinner speech, there are a few things that can be done to make sure the end product is witty, expresses gratitude, and is respectful. There are also some things that shouldn’t be done – certainly not if there is a desire to be welcomed back as a visitor in the future.

Some things to include in a speech might be:

• Start off with a joke, related to the job, and reference the amount of time spent working there.
• Mention office or department characters, but not in a derogatory way.
• Reflect on the many changes that have occurred over the preceding years of employment.
• Relay plans for the future after retirement.
• Thank people for gifts, cards, and well-wishes.
• Mention the possibility of returning at some point to visit everyone.

Other important considerations of a retirement dinner speech:

• Never bad-mouth anyone in the company.
• Stay away from sexist and racist humor in the speech.
• Don’t use this as an opportunity to talk about how the company would perform better with new restructuring plans.

Generally, the point of retirement speeches is to keep things light, gracious, and reasonably short. It is important to show that the experience of working there was generally a joyous one. It does no good to burn bridges, and it is much better to leave with a lasting good impression.

Resources for Speeches

Not everyone is adept at writing retirement dinner speeches, and some may not feel comfortable with public speaking. However, the speaking part is often helped by having a good speech planned in advance.

Some people are quite capable of writing humorous and engaging retirement speeches themselves. Others need outside help. There are many different sources available for speeches, from books with speech templates to free speeches on websites.

Such sources include:

• Public Speaking Advice
• Best Speech Topics
• Retirement Speeches Cafe

Conclusion

Whichever route is taken, as long as the speech is made in good humor, with the best of intentions, and with a note of thanks for all concerned, it will be well-received. The retiree leaves a good impression.