topic Re: Retirement Party in Community Chat

Retirement Party

QVCkitty1 — Sat, 22 Mar 2025 03:22:29 GMT

Many of us here have retired,and all of the Mary Beth talk got me to thinking what your last day or retirement party was like. I actually had 2 parties, one was a pot luck and what seemed like an all day goodbye from my co- workers in the OR. People were incredibly kind and I got A Sony Smart TV, this was 2011 and a big deal. Then a smaller group had a restaurant celebration. A month later I started working per diem on and off for 3 years. When I retired for good , I had another pot luck, ( we loved to celebrate) How did you leave ? Was it quiet or a big to do. It's a big change and Ihope Mary Beth enjoys her retirement.

Re: Retirement Party

Ainhisg — Sat, 22 Mar 2025 11:09:44 GMT

I was blessed to be able to retire at 47. I didn't want any kind of a party or send-off and told the main office that. That's just not my style. As soon as I could leave that last day, I did without saying anything to anyone. I was the first out the door. lol I had several friends at work, and we socialized outside of it. I knew I would still see them after I retired, so it was no big deal.

Re: Retirement Party

ThinkingOutLoud — Sat, 22 Mar 2025 11:16:05 GMT

I'm not the type to want a big to-do. I know someone, though, who I really felt badly for because they should've gotten a big send off but didn't. They put in many long hours for many years but they left during the pandemic and people weren't back at the office yet. They really should've been acknowledged but instead it was like they were never even there.

Re: Retirement Party

jlkz — Sat, 22 Mar 2025 12:04:53 GMT

Interesting ways to celebrate leaving a group or organization... I think I have done them all !

A group luncheon at a restaurant to celebrate contributions before taking on new responsibilities in another corporate division: much laughter and an engraved small silver bowl.

Slipping out the door at year's end with a hard-earned financial " package " as the whole corporation had been ordered to break up by the Justice Department. Pension survived and the " package " helped me start my consulting career.

Most meaningful: Two high level executives from my home company who had finally gotten up to the parent company where I was took me to lunch at a French restaurant. It seemed they felt uncomfortable because they were aware of the many situations I was subjected to by the Accounting, Programming and Financial divisions in the home company. Promoted into HR at a level where there were very few women at the time and then up to the parent company HR.

I put them at ease and smiled and said that there are so many corporations I can consult to that I wouldn't be knocking on their door. I thanked them for giving me the opportunity to develop many skills that would make me an welcome asset to a wide variety of companies.

I compared all my experiences to being in a family: mostly great and some not so great but even they helped shaped me. " So guys, can we let all that go and just enjoy the moments we can share now ... "

Yes...they did want me to come back because " women like me were moving up...."but I had clients, was an adjunct professor at my college, and partnered with a national outplacement firm counseling folks as they sought new careers.

Re: Retirement Party

LindaSal — Sat, 22 Mar 2025 12:11:18 GMT

I'm also lucky to have been able to retire young (51) after giving 30 years to our own professional office. When we sold our business DH retired, also young (59) and told me I didn't have to work anymore and after building something so great and putting all of yourself into it, also bringing up kids, taking care of the home..........it was time. Even though at first we had mixed emotions about it we adjusted rather well. We handed over the keys , walked out the door and never looked back.

And yes, we did it quietly as we preferred it that way. IMO, the overdone hoopla is a bit much for my taste.

Re: Retirement Party

deeva — Sat, 22 Mar 2025 12:35:27 GMT

I retired at 52. I'm not one who likes a lot of parties and celebrations, I went out to lunch with some coworkers and my boss, that was enough for me.

Re: Retirement Party

Meowingkitty — Sat, 22 Mar 2025 12:39:14 GMT

I didn't have a retirement party because I was being laid off and decided not to look for another job. I was so happy to be getting out of there I made sure I was the first one to fill out my paperwork that day so I could just hand it in and grab my purse and leave. I would not have wanted all the hoopla. Just let me go and be done with it.

Re: Retirement Party

CalminHeart — Sat, 22 Mar 2025 12:42:20 GMT

I danced for joy when I left on my last day. I'd been with a huge international corporation for nearly 40 years and saw the downfall of humane treatment in the corporate workplace firsthand.

My VP insisted on having a retirement party. I repeatedly asked him not to because I just wanted to walk away. He did it anyway and I made the best of it.

I took a lot of heat for treating people in my departments with respect and like adults.

I got raked over the coals for not writing up more people.

Other officers yelled and said nasty things to employees but I refused to do that.

My VP made ageist comments to me and others.

My departments always had higher productivity than others and part of that was due to treating them well.

Everyone at my level was forced to take an 8% pay cut in 2008 with the promise of getting it back after the recession was over. Do you think they actually followed through on that? Nope.

The year after I retired, the new officer of my deparatments fired everyone over age 60. Countless people transferred out of his depts.

In the almost 9 years since I retired, my company let over 6,000 people go. Many were replaced with young, inexperienced people who were paid very little.

My company ended almost all benefits for employees and retirees soon after I retired.

My company used to send emails to officers and above encouraging them to vote a certain way.

Sometimes people ask why I don't say good things about huge corporations. What I've said is the tip of the iceberg.

I adjusted to retirement the minute I walked out the door and never looked back.

Re: Retirement Party

QVCkitty1 — Sat, 22 Mar 2025 13:49:58 GMT

@CalminHeart , Even though I worked in a hospital, it was becoming more and more corporate and believe me I was not a bit sorry to leave . I did miss the people , and the only reason I agreed to work per diem ( aside from the extra money ) was Icould turndown assignments and no longer had to work call. My send off was nice , but the day to day was becoming intolerable and my temper was getting short. When you control your work life , it is easier.

Re: Retirement Party

cindyNC — Sat, 22 Mar 2025 15:12:43 GMT

I was thrilled to retire. Had been with the company for 16 years but they closed our Charlotte office and for the last year I was working from home for our Atlanta office. I hated it. Was always out of the loop with everything that was going on. I gave a weeks notice, got many emails wishing me luck and that was it.

My BF, on the other hand, just retired from his CNC job in Sept. He did prototype work and was a problem solver. His boss thru a mini get together at work, got food for 40 peiople and 140 showed up to wish him farewell. He got a giant card signed by many co-workers, two plaques and a lunch bucket full of jolly rancher candies (his favorite). He was thrilled and it was well deserved.

Re: Retirement Party

JeanLouiseFinch — Sun, 23 Mar 2025 18:48:51 GMT

I didn't know I was going to retire until it just happened. I took a break and never returned.

Re: Retirement Party

wildcherry — Sat, 22 Mar 2025 16:25:56 GMT

I am retired and love it. I got a nice sendoff when I retired because I was also moving out of state. It was a nice little gathering with a gift of a bracelet from Tiffany. I don't like a lot of fuss, but it was nice what I got.

Re: Retirement Party

wagirl — Sat, 22 Mar 2025 19:24:37 GMT

No fanfare for me--I retired in 2017--quit my job late 2009, went thru lots of health issues including breast cancer in 2012---the last day of all my treatment was early in Jan of 2013--that was my hip- hip hurray day.

Re: Retirement Party

BunSnoop — Sat, 22 Mar 2025 20:25:15 GMT

I retired a couple of years ago. I worked from home for several of the last years. When I worked in the office the coworkers would have a nice luncheon in the office and we would all contribute towards a gift for the retiring individual. Since I had been working from home there was no luncheon, etc. from my fellow coworkers.

On my last day my supervisor called me around noon to wish me the best of luck, etc. I thought he was going to mention that the company was going to send me a gift card, or something, but there was no mention of anything.

Next, I thought, perhaps he'll tell me to sign-off early after we finish our phone call. Nope, no early dismissal for me. (He called around noon and the end of my day was typically at 3:30). I signed off at 3:30.

It sure would of been nice to receive some type of recognition from the company after almost 30 years of service. Oh well...........

Re: Retirement Party

twinsister — Sat, 22 Mar 2025 21:31:55 GMT

I retired at 57 after working for 40 years at a large Wall Street firm. I told my boss many times that I did not want a party or luncheon, just wanted to walk out quietly. I'm not one for a lot of hoopla. He respected my wishes, but still did a small get together at my desk. Right before lunch time, a group of my co-workers came to my desk with a cake and bouquet of flowers, which was nice. They also surprised me with a beautiful pair of diamond hoops and sent me and my goodies home in a limousine. A nice way to retire.

Re: Retirement Party

shoekitty — Sat, 22 Mar 2025 21:44:59 GMT

@ThinkingOutLoud wrote:
I'm not the type to want a big to-do. I know someone, though, who I really felt badly for because they should've gotten a big send off but didn't. They put in many long hours for many years but they left during the pandemic and people weren't back at the office yet. They really should've been acknowledged but instead it was like they were never even there.

@ThinkingOutLoud That's sad. Hope they sorta understood. It was a rough time for everyone who worked for sure. I know it was a time where many friends decided to call it a day and retire. They didn't have parties either although I think one had a zoom farewell with a couple friends

Re: Retirement Party

LavernLuvsShoes — Sat, 22 Mar 2025 21:54:20 GMT

After 42 years in the workforce, I retired 10 years ago.

My office threw me a very nice "Retirement Party" and current and former co-workers attended, along with several of my "favorite" clients.

It included a huge spread from Maggiano's (including dessert), greeting cards and funny speeches.

The Partners (in the firm) all chipped in and gave me a HUGE bonus check, and their wives gave me an amazing Pandora bracelet (with meaningful charms from each of them) - Since their husbands considered me their "work wife" - LOL

I absolutely loved every minute of it!!! ♥

Re: Retirement Party

lynnie61 — Sun, 23 Mar 2025 18:42:21 GMT

I retired a year ago next week. They had a very nice send off. My boss had a dinner party at her house for just our group of 10. It was very nice. Although, I certainly was ready to retire, I had a few weeks of some tears. I enjoyed my coworkers, many people in our corporation, that I worked with over many different jobs. I worked for the same corporation for 44 years.

Took me about 5 minutes to adjust to retirement. Corporate America was so changed, even from 10 years ago. I miss the people, but not the work.

I also work as a server one day a week for 46 years, and I have kept that one day a week job. It was always just different from my corporate job.

Re: Retirement Party

linky1953 — Sun, 23 Mar 2025 21:20:24 GMT

OMG...your story sounds similar to mine. I retired at 57 after nearly 41 years of service. I didn't want a big party and asked for a small luncheon with a few of my dearest friends that I worked with.

I walked out too and never looked back. I did miss the people - 95% of the folks I worked with were wonderful...I did not miss the company and its politics. That was back in 2011 and so far I have enjoyed 14 years of retirement.

Mary Beth was the best. I will miss her so much. So many of the currents hosts are so silly and the presentations are just not like Mary Beth's. I still shop on the Q because the clothing lines I like fit me so well and I like the ease of getting pkgs and trying things on in my own home. Yes, prices have gone up but I try to buy 'as is' items - or - I buy things at a quarter of the price on eb ay.

Re: Retirement Party

PA Mom-mom — Sun, 23 Mar 2025 21:32:36 GMT

I retired at 68, a few weeks before Covid hit us. I wasn't planning on retiring, but DH had something worked out about Social Security and how to take advantage of the spousal receipts. (Don't ask me.)

The party was very embarrassing. They gave me a catered luncheon and gave everyone the opportunity to say something nice. They also gave me a trip to Williamsburg, VA with all the trimmings. Well, needless to say, we were not able to take advantage of that for quite a while. We finally ended up giving the credit back to my company.

I wish I would have continued to work. I loved my job and loved the people I worked with. It was exciting and gratifying.