It’s never easy to see an employee or a colleague go, even when they are moving on to greener pastures. More specifically, it can be hard to know what to say to clients and other employees.
So, how can you let others know that a worker has left in a polite and professional way?
In this article, we’ll show you how to politely say someone left the company and make these awkward conversations just a little easier!
Below, you’ll find 10 alternative ways to say that someone has left your organization:
- [Name] no longer works here
- [Name] has left to pursue a new role
- [Name] is no longer employed at our firm
- That employee was terminated
- [Name] has retired
- [Name] was let go
- [Name] is no longer with the company
- [Name] quit
- They are an ex-employee
- [Name] is embarking on a new venture
1. [Name] No Longer Works Here
If a client has specifically mentioned an employee who no longer works at your company, perhaps because they had been in contact with that employee before, the best response is to simply say [Name] no longer works here.
This phrase is clear and straightforward, which is ideal in a busy work setting.
It is best to let the client know that they will have to reiterate their needs to you or another employee so that you can move on to resolving their reason for contacting you.
Consider the example below:
Dear Miss Trust,
Unfortunately, Lisa no longer works here.
However, I would be happy to assist you with your inquiry.
Kind regards,
Allison Quartz
2. [Name] Has Left to Pursue a New Role
If you want to announce an employee’s resignation to the rest of your team, you will want to keep things positive.
Therefore, you can say [Name] has left to pursue a new role in a group email to that employee’s department or the office at large.
This phrase is honest without implying that anything negative occurred. After all, it is perfectly normal for employees to seek new opportunities!
Therefore, let’s see this phrase in an email sample:
Dear Team,
As many of you know, Jeremiah has left to pursue a new role.
We wish him the best in his future endeavors.
Regards,
Oliver
3. [Name] Is No Longer Employed at Our Firm
The phrase [Name] is no longer employed at our firm is suitably vague to keep things professional in an email to a client.
Therefore, you can use this phrase when one of your employees has resigned or when they were fired. Either way, the end result is that they no longer work at your organization, and that’s all the client needs to know.
Have a look at the following sample email:
Dear Mr. Hotwell,
Mr. Gordon is no longer employed at our firm, but I would be more than happy to forward your file to his replacement, Ms. Cole.
Sincerely,
Frieda Wagner
4. That Employee Was Terminated
When an employee has caused some trouble in the workplace and is the subject of complaints by clients or customers, you can be more straightforward in letting the client know that they no longer work for you.
In fact, simply saying that an employee was terminated will show that you don’t tolerate any ill behavior from your workforce and that you listen to the concerns of your customer base.
For instance:
Dear Miss Iomi,
I am sorry to hear about your negative experience at our branch.
Rest assured, that employee was terminated yesterday afternoon, as their behavior did not reflect our company’s culture.
Regards,
James Portland (Managing Director)
5. [Name] Has Retired
If a client has mentioned a particular employee by name, but that employee has retired, you can say just that using the phrase [Name] has retired.
It is perfectly normal for employees to resign from their roles when they reach a certain age. Therefore, there is no harm in being honest about this if a client asks.
In fact, it may be even better to mention the reason behind the employee leaving so that the client doesn’t speculate.
Have a look at the following email example:
Dear Ms. Knowle,
Herbert has retired, but I would be happy to put you in touch with my colleague, Berta, as she will be taking on his projects.
Kind regards,
Ashton Wright
6. [Name] Was Let Go
Sometimes, it is necessary to announce to the rest of your employees that one of their fellows was let go. This could be to demonstrate how seriously you take your organization’s rules and code of conduct, for instance.
The phrase was let go is a more polite way to say that someone was fired.
Therefore, you can use this phrase in a group message to the rest of your team as a firm reminder of your company’s rules while still showing respect for the former employee as well.
To see what we mean, consider the sample email below:
Dear All,
I have the displeasure of announcing that Tabitha was let go this morning.
Although we regret to see any employee leave, I hope you will treat this as a reminder of the importance of complying with company policies in your respective roles.
Sincerely,
Wesley Patterson
7. [Name] Is No Longer With the Company
[Name] is no longer with the company is another professional way to let a client know that an employee has left.
You can use this phrase as a polite euphemism to say that an employee was fired. It could also simply mean that they have resigned.
Either way, it is vague enough to reduce any embarrassment on the part of the former employee.
For example:
Dear Ms. Muraina,
I’m afraid Heather is no longer with the company.
I would be happy to answer your questions personally or forward you to Heather’s replacement, Josephine.
Kind regards,
Amber McMarch
8. [Name] Quit
If you work at an organization and you are informing a colleague from another department that someone from your own department has resigned, you can simply say [Name] quit.
In a busy office environment, there isn’t always time to beat around the bush, particularly in an email to say someone has left the company.
Therefore, you can use a more straightforward and to-the-point phrase to let your colleague know about the situation you are facing.
It wouldn’t be suitable to use this phrase with a client, but it would suit an inter-office email exchange, especially if you need to compensate for your former colleague’s loss fairly quickly.
Have a look at the email sample below:
Hi Cassidy,
Sorry to bother you, but Jane quit last week, and I will need to access her journals so that I can take over her clients.
Would you be able to help me with that?
Thanks in advance,
Travis
9. They Are an Ex-employee
You can use the phrase they are an ex-employee in an email to a client if they have specifically requested or reached out to a former employee.
Once again, this phrase is intentionally vague, as it doesn’t make clear whether the employee left on their own accord or whether they were terminated.
Therefore, it’s a safe option if you want to redirect the client to someone else in the office.
Let’s see an email example that includes this phrase:
Dear Mr. Davis,
I understand that you have been trying to contact Hannah Gabriel.
They are an ex-employee, but I would be happy to address your questions or direct you to Hannah’s replacement.
Kind regards,
Njabulo Nkosi
10. [Name] Is Embarking on a New Venture
If you’re looking for a nice way to say someone left the company, [Name] is embarking on a new venture is a great option.
This phrase has a very positive and supportive tone. Therefore, you can use it in a group message to the other employees in a department if one of their colleagues has left on a good note.
This phrase will show respect to the former employee and keep things light despite the somewhat sad nature of any employee’s departure from your company.
Check out how we’ve used this phrase in our final example:
Dear All,
As you may have heard, Shelly is embarking on a new venture and will be leaving us at the end of the week.
We wish her success and happiness for the future of her career.
Sincerely,
Kade Morgan
