How to Throw a Heartfelt Retirement Party
Retiring is a big deal. It’s the end of a long and often successful career and it’s only right that the retiree gets a proper send-off. Throwing a retirement party shows the retiree that their years of hard work have been appreciated and that they will be missed. Plus it lets other employees know that the company values its employees and their contributions.
If you’re tasked with throwing a retirement party, here are some tips on how to make it a successful and heartfelt event.
Pick a Theme
The truth is that theme parties are more successful than non-themed parties. A theme gives the event a focus and makes it more fun for everyone involved.
Plus, there are countless options to choose from when it comes to party themes. However, it’s best to stick to the retiree’s interests. For example, if they love golf, you can throw a “Golfing into Retirement” party complete with green and white decorations. Or if they’re a foodie, go with a “Retirement Feast” theme and have a buffet of their favorite dishes.
Send Out Invitations
The next step is to send out invitations. You’ll need to decide whether the party will be for employees only or if family and friends will be invited as well. For a heartfelt event, it’s a good idea to include friends and family on the guest list.
And for the invitations, you can go the safe route and print out the invitations or you can get creative and send e-invites or even video invitations. Whichever route you choose, make sure to include all the important information like the date, time, location, and RSVP details.
Pick the Food and Drinks
Few things put a damper on a party like a lack of food and drinks. It’s one part of a party people look forward to the most so you need to have plenty of both for everyone to enjoy.
The theme of the party can come in handy when you’re deciding on what to serve. For instance, if you decide on the golf theme, you can serve only green and white food such as guacamole, white bean dip, white chocolate, salad bowls, etc.
But if you decide against a theme just stick to classic finger foods.
As for drinks, have a mix of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages to accommodate different preferences.
Prepare a Speech
A heartfelt retirement party isn’t complete without a speech. This is your chance to vocalize your appreciation for the retiree’s years of service and contributions to the company. It’s also an opportunity to motivate other employees to aspire to a long and successful career like the retiree’s.
When preparing the speech, keep it short and sweet. No one wants to listen to a long, drawn-out speech at a party. Still, include things like the retiree’s start date, their biggest accomplishments, and what they’ll be missed most for.
You can also ask other employees to share their favorite memories of the retiree.
Throwing a heartfelt retirement party is the least you can do to show appreciation to an employee who has been loyal. Plus, it’s a great way to show other employees that they are valued and appreciated. Just follow the tips above and you’re sure to throw a heartfelt, successful event.
