topic Re: Retirement Send Off in Community Chat

Retirement Send Off

srgtdj — Thu, 13 Jun 2019 13:54:58 GMT

Watching Jill's celebration last night made me wonder about the kind of retirement send off most people experience. After 15 years with my company when I retired it was basically a non event. A few people I was close to did lunch/dinner with me but there was no company acknowledgement at all. My experience was about as different from Jill's as you could get. Looking back on it I realize that it did leave me feeling unappreciated. But I chalked it up to the way the business world works now..they move on, your spot is filled, and with the excpetion of a few friends you are easily forgotten. I never wanted a big party..but a thank you would have been so nice. Oh well. I don't think about it at all but the Jill show brought that feeling to the surface I guess.

Is my experience unique? Did those who have retired get a send off of some kind?

Re: Retirement Send Off

Katcat1 — Thu, 13 Jun 2019 13:59:16 GMT

I think it depends on the company. Some do acknowledge it and some don't. I thought the last ten minutes of the show a cake should have been brought out and the drinks. She did not have to sell all the way to the end.

Re: Retirement Send Off

Johnnyeager — Thu, 13 Jun 2019 14:00:17 GMT

It's a little difficult to compare Jill's farewell to that of the average person retiring.

As a television personality, this was basically for shoppers, viewers, fans and followers.

I'm sure other things were done off camera to which we were not invited.

Plus, she's going to continue to see most of the people who were in the studio with her last night.

Re: Retirement Send Off

alicedee — Thu, 13 Jun 2019 14:05:11 GMT

The last 15 years of my working career was secretary at a small charter school. My last day of work the director and staff had a potluck lunch for me, cake, flowers, some gift cards. Lots of well wishes. It was very nice and I appreciated it.

Re: Retirement Send Off

QP Doll — Thu, 13 Jun 2019 14:07:20 GMT

What a wonderful celebration show! I found it odd that Jane Brown & Pat did not have a farewell message to Jill like all the other hosts.

Re: Retirement Send Off

Sooner — Thu, 13 Jun 2019 14:12:08 GMT

We used to do big deals where I worked. I was SOOOOO happy they didn't insist on it when I retired. I went out with some nice people and we celebrated my 40 years, but those big parties were more often painful than anything else.

I felt good to have ducked that! What does it matter anyway? I always felt my paycheck was my appreciation note! LOL!!!

Re: Retirement Send Off

drizzellla — Thu, 13 Jun 2019 14:14:22 GMT

My husband worked for his company for 46 years. When he retired, they did absolutely nothing. The "bigwigs" did not even come to his office to say good bye.

The only reason he stayed as long as he did with the company was because of the original owner. The owner built the company on his own. In the beginning the owner would not have enough money for payroll. So he went without a paycheck. He knew every employee and also knew all about the employee too. At one of the dinners I heard that 85% of the employees were with the company 25 years or more. And the owner made sure every employee got a share of the profits. The owner's wife died of breast cancer and he had 3 young children to raise by himself. So he made sure that the employee health plan was the best plan on the market. And the company paid 100%.

He had groomed his daughter to take over the company. But she got breast cancer and died at 39. She died before he did. Then sadly, he died. So the other daughter's husband took over. He graduated from Harvard and thinks he knows it all. And has no interest in knowing any employee. He only cares about how he can enrich himself.

Therefore, my husband did not even get a handshake goodbye.

Re: Retirement Send Off

Johnnyeager — Thu, 13 Jun 2019 14:16:22 GMT

I'm just glad that my job doesn't require me to leave a farewell message for someone who leaves. I don't like everyone and in some cases don't care.

It sounds like people keep track of this at QVC.

Re: Retirement Send Off

zanna — Thu, 13 Jun 2019 14:16:42 GMT

I retired from a big bank last month after 20.5 years. Also a non-event except that my immediate manager let me know that my timing (30 days notice) was inconvenient for him In fact, my 20th anniversary with the company in January 2019 was not acknowledged in any way by anyone, after all the years of hearing how much they care about employees. I worked remotely, so I wasn't expecting a gathering, but a card, even an emailed digital card, would have been appreciated.

It was the right decision for me. So happy now that all the work-related stress and corporate B-S is gone from my life!

Re: Retirement Send Off

Lipstickdiva — Thu, 13 Jun 2019 14:21:33 GMT

Someone in my office just retired. I work in a small office. The 2 secretaries and I put up a few decorations, got her some flowers and a cake and we each got her a card.

The bosses did nothing. They didn't even offer to contribute to what we did. Had we not done anything, it would have been just another day of work and she would have walked out the door.

Re: Retirement Send Off

deepwaterdotter — Thu, 13 Jun 2019 14:24:50 GMT

My manager arranged a lovely decorated cake and punch gathering at my workplace in my honor on my last day of work. A week later some of my co-workers surprised me with a dinner at a local restaurant. It was all very nice, and I appreciated the recognition.

Re: Retirement Send Off

chrystaltree — Thu, 13 Jun 2019 14:29:00 GMT

I think it depends on the culture of the company and the size of the company. Generally, the big sends offs are reserved for people with many years of service, as in more than 20.

Re: Retirement Send Off

Mom2Dogs — Thu, 13 Jun 2019 14:37:50 GMT

@QP Doll , I was thinking the same thing.

Re: Retirement Send Off

HeatherAG — Thu, 13 Jun 2019 14:43:41 GMT

@Lipstickdiva wrote:
Someone in my office just retired. I work in a small office. The 2 secretaries and I put up a few decorations, got her some flowers and a cake and we each got her a card.

The bosses did nothing. They didn't even offer to contribute to what we did. Had we not done anything, it would have been just another day of work and she would have walked out the door.

That's what I've observed from managers/bosses for most employee life events. I just had a milestone birthday and when one of my bosses found out his entire response was "Oh." - no "happy birthday", nothing.

Re: Retirement Send Off

SeaMaiden — Thu, 13 Jun 2019 14:48:06 GMT

I left quietly after 25 years....took my vacation....and just never returned. Gave my two week notice while on vacation. I hate goodbyes.....

Re: Retirement Send Off

KentuckyWoman — Thu, 13 Jun 2019 14:50:49 GMT

It may depend on the company one works for.

I retired after 32 years. When I got to work that morning, my office had been decorated overnight. It was done mostly in black streamers and there were home made posters all over the department. About 25 met for lunch and when we returned, there was a reception in the employee cafeteria with cake, ice cream, cookies and punch. My husband and sons did not attend at my request. My son and DIL hosted a family cookout that weekend.

All retirements were pretty much handled the same way. Human Resources and department heads usually coordinated their efforts. The company was very generous with parting gifts as well.

Re: Retirement Send Off

CANDLEQUEEN — Thu, 13 Jun 2019 14:53:41 GMT

At my job it is totally your choice to have a Retirement Party or a Coffee or nothing.....The Retirement party, is usually where you would invite whomever you want, and the company supplies all of the food, and drink for a certain length of time and it is done off campus, usually at a restaurant, etc....

A coffee is more informal and usually takes place on campus with coffee, cake snacks, and people just drop in to wish you well, and your boss usually makes a short speech.....

I don't want either of these, I would rather just go to lunch somewhere nice with a few of my closest co-workers!!!!!!

Re: Retirement Send Off

ALRATIBA — Thu, 13 Jun 2019 14:59:09 GMT

I worked at a large multi-national corporation. I had been there 17+ years and retired in 2010.

People generally think of these large multinationals as rather cold and impersonal ... but they are far from that.

I had a really nice send-off luncheon (and generous good-bye gift) - they even contacted former co-workers and even the guy who originally hired me. Wonderful to see all those folks again.

The luncheon was a real surprise. I thought it was just going to me and my boss. When we got to the restaurant, the group was already there.

Re: Retirement Send Off

Veridoc — Thu, 13 Jun 2019 15:34:50 GMT

I chose to have nothing. I just wanted my last paycheck and go home. After enduring an administration change and 16 out of 25 years of ultra stupidity, I made it to retirement. My boss was not happy that he could not give me a huge send off that would have made him look really good in the eyes of other dept. heads. At the end of the day I grabbed my purse, walked out the door and never looked back. Retirement is my reward for all those years.

Re: Retirement Send Off

QVCkitty1 — Thu, 13 Jun 2019 16:23:11 GMT

I diidn’t want a party, but my friends at work overruled me and I’m glad. It was lovely and I received a Sony Smart TV as a gift. I truly didn’t expect anything, but after all of those years it was nice to know I was appreciated.