The leaving card is a workplace classic: it lands on your desk, you have thirty seconds before it moves on, and you write "all the best" because your mind goes blank. You can do better than that in one sentence, and it barely takes longer.
Here is what to write depending on who is actually leaving.
For a work friend you will miss
Be genuine. This is the one that matters.
- "Work is going to be so much duller without you. Thank you for every coffee break and every bit of moral support. Stay in touch, properly."
- "You made this place better just by being in it. Gutted to see you go, thrilled for what is next. Do not be a stranger."
- "Best desk neighbour I could have asked for. Whoever sits there next has impossible shoes to fill. Go smash it."
For someone you did not know well
Warm and honest beats faking a closeness you did not have.
- "We did not work together much, but you were always kind in the kitchen and quick to help. Wishing you all the best in the new role."
- "Good luck with the next chapter. You will be missed around here. Go and do great things."
For a manager or boss
A little respect, a little warmth.
- "Thank you for backing me when it counted and for actually listening. I have learned a lot from you. Best of luck with what is next."
- "A genuinely good manager is rare, and you were one. Whoever gets you next is lucky. All the best."
For a retirement
Different energy: celebrate the years, not the exit.
- "After all these years, you have more than earned the slow mornings and the long lunches. Congratulations, and enjoy every minute."
- "The place will not be the same without you. Thank you for everything, and go enjoy a very well-deserved rest."
How to sign a shared card
If you are the one passing it round, write your line first so it sets the tone, and leave a bit of space. If you are signing late and the obvious things are taken, get specific: name a moment ("still think about that disastrous offsite") instead of repeating "good luck" for the fifth time.
When it is a proper send-off
For someone who really mattered to the team, a shop card and a biro can feel a bit thin. The Card Genie lets you turn an in-joke or a team photo into a personalised digital leaving card everyone can sign from their own desk. A send-off that actually feels like them.
Make a personalised leaving card for someone worth a proper goodbye.