Retirement Speech – 6 Secrets To Making People Laugh and Cry

Short and Sweet

It is important not to panic when you are giving a speech. Your speech does not need to be super long.

In fact, it has been noted that shorter speech that is around five minutes can be more meaningful than a long thirty-minute monologue.

Because of this, it does not need to be a rambling speech of all of yours or your coworker’s achievements. Instead, it is a chance to show your gratitude for the opportunities you had.

If you plan to write out your speech beforehand, it is important to make is conversational so that it is easier for your audience to listen to and interact with.

Tailor Your Retirement Speech To Your Audience

When you are writing a retirement speech, it is crucial to consider your audience. Think about how you want them to react. Laugh? Cry? Professional?

If you are writing about your colleague, consider them as well. Are they outgoing or shy? Try to match your speech to their character and personality.

It is also important to consider the varying levels of colleagues in your audience. There are likely those who have not worked for the company nearly as long and those who have been there for years. Try to bring both of those factors into consideration.

Memories And Anecdotes

A speech is a great opportunity to include some humor. You can tell funny stories such as your struggles when you first joined or little mistakes that you or your colleague have made along the way.

Make sure to make jokes about yourself that will cause a laugh and avoid jokes that may offend others.

Another good idea is to compare and contrast the business today versus how it may have been when you first started.

Say Your Thanks

You should thank those who made working there nice, while also thanking the support staff or anyone else who may have contributed to your success.

Don’t list every single person though! That may drag on and be boring to the audience.

Missing The Good Times

A good ending to your speech can include the things you are going to miss when you leave or something that made your workplace so special.

You should leave the speech with a warm feeling about your workplace or your retiring colleague.

Most importantly, if you are making the speech about a colleague, it is important to finish with a toast to them.

Practice Makes Perfect

In the ideal case, you should begin writing your speech with plenty of time to spare so that you can practice it. This not only helps your speech to go over smoothly but also helps you to memorize it and not stare down at your paper.

Instead of reading from your paper, try to write down key bullet points on note cards to jog your memory when you lose your spot. This will allow you to speak more naturally.

Lastly, when you actually give your speech, try to be relaxed and be yourself. Chances are, that most of the people present know you and know how you normally speak and act.

Takeaways For A Good Retirement Speech

If you follow these tips and tricks, you are likely to give an impressive speech that will engage and impress your audience and colleagues.

Prepare ahead of time, make it relevant to your audience, relationships are more important than achievements, add humor, give thanks, and be yourself!

If your speech is about your coworker, it may even be a good idea to hand over a gift at the end of it to show your appreciation.

We hope that this article helped you in writing your retirement speech. Good luck!

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