How to Organize a Group Farewell Card for a Coworker (Step by Step)

Someone on your team is leaving and you've offered to sort the card. The hard part isn't the card itself. It's knowing who to ask, getting everyone to sign before their last day, and including the people who work remotely. This guide walks through it step by step, with a short checklist at the end.

Want to skip ahead? A group farewell card lets the whole team sign from one link, wherever they work.

How to organize a group farewell card, step by step

1. 1

   Check the news is public

   Before you start, make sure the departure has been announced, and have a quick word with their manager. They can tell you whether the person would enjoy a fuss, and whether there's anything sensitive about why they're leaving.

2. 2

   Decide who to ask

   Start with their immediate team, then add the people they worked with closely in other teams, anyone they mentored and their manager. Ask a close colleague who else should be on the list. When in doubt, include people: a card with more messages means more.

3. 3

   Create the card

   Pick the farewell occasion, add their name and a title, and you're ready to share. Add the first message yourself. It sets the tone and means nobody has to go first.

4. 4

   Help people know what to write

   When you share the link, suggest a prompt: one memory of working with them, one thing you'll miss, and a wish for what comes next. For anyone stuck, point them to our 48 things to write in a farewell card for a coworker, grouped by tone.

5. 5

   Collect signatures remotely

   Post the link in your team chat or send it by email. With an online card, everyone signs from the same link on any device, in their own time zone, without creating an account. Set a deadline a day or two before their last day, and post one nudge in the channel the day before. The card stays open until you send it, so a late message can still go in.

6. 6

   Send it at the right moment

   Their last day is best, ideally in the morning or at the farewell drinks or call. You can send the card the moment it's ready, or schedule a date and time with Premium. If their work email is about to close, send it to their personal email so they can open it after they've left.

Farewell card checklist

• ✓The departure is public and you've checked with their manager
• ✓You have a list of who should sign, across teams and offices
• ✓The card is created, with the first message added
• ✓The link is shared with a deadline a day before their last day
• ✓One nudge is posted in the channel the day before the deadline
• ✓You have their personal email if their work inbox will close
• ✓The card is sent on their last day, or scheduled with Premium

Frequently asked questions

How far in advance should I start a farewell card?

About a week before their last day is ideal. It gives people in other time zones, on other shifts or on leave time to sign. If you only have a day or two, a link in the team chat still gets most people signing quickly.

Who should sign a farewell card for a coworker?

Their immediate team, people they worked with closely in other teams, their manager and anyone they mentored. When in doubt, include people: a card with more messages means more.

How do I collect farewell messages from remote coworkers?

Use an online group card. Share one link in your team chat or by email, and everyone signs from any device in their own time zone. Nobody needs an account to sign, and the card stays open until you send it.

When should I give a farewell card?

On their last day is best, or at the farewell drinks or call. If their work email is about to close, send it to their personal email so they can open it after they've left.

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