24 Best Responses to a Resignation Letter (96 Examples)

A useful response to a resignation letter acknowledges the message, checks the proposed last working day, and agrees what happens next. A manager might write: Thank you for letting me know. I have received your resignation, and I will confirm the leaving date with HR before we arrange the handover. A colleague can simply thank the person and wish them well.

Choose wording that matches your role. A friendly goodbye does not need employment details, while a manager’s written acknowledgement should keep the departure arrangements clear. These examples are communication templates; follow your organisation’s process for notice, pay, references, and formal records.

Choose wording for your situation

Situation or purpose	Wording to try	Why it fits
Acknowledging the resignation	Thank you for letting me know	This acknowledges the message without making a decision about its details.
Thanking the person for their contribution	Thank you for your work on this team	This adds appreciation to a formal reply.
Agreeing a manageable handover	Let us agree the handover priorities	This makes the transition realistic when several tasks remain.
Handling more sensitive departures	I would like to understand your concerns, if you want to share them	This makes feedback optional when the resignation mentions problems.
Acknowledging the resignation	I acknowledge receipt of your resignation	This is a formal acknowledgement for an employer’s written record.
Thanking the person for their contribution	Your contribution to the project is appreciated	This recognises a particular piece of work and suits a manager or project lead.

Acknowledging the resignation

Start with receipt and the next step. Confirm facts before presenting them as agreed.

1. Thank you for letting me know

This acknowledges the message without making a decision about its details. It suits a first reply when you still need to check dates or speak with HR. Add a next step so the employee knows when to expect a fuller response.

• Thank you for letting me know; I will review the leaving arrangements this afternoon.
• Thank you for your message, Priya; I have received your resignation letter.
• Thank you for informing me directly; we can discuss the next steps tomorrow.
• Thank you for the advance notice; I will follow up once I have checked the dates.

2. I acknowledge receipt of your resignation

This is a formal acknowledgement for an employer’s written record. Receipt is different from agreement about a leaving date or other terms. Use a separate sentence for anything still being checked, rather than hiding uncertainty behind an official-sounding opening.

• I acknowledge receipt of your resignation dated 6 November.
• I acknowledge receipt of your letter and will confirm the handover arrangements separately.
• I acknowledge your resignation email; HR will contact you about the departure process.
• I acknowledge receipt of your notice and have forwarded it to the appropriate HR contact.

3. Could we confirm your proposed last working day?

Ask this when the letter gives an unclear date or the date needs checking. State the proposed date explicitly in the eventual reply. Do not casually approve a shorter notice period if that decision belongs to someone else.

• Could we confirm whether 28 November is your proposed last working day?
• Your letter mentions the end of the month; could you confirm the exact date?
• Could we check the leaving date together before I update the team schedule?
• I will ask HR to confirm the notice arrangements before we agree your final day.

4. I will confirm the next steps with HR

This routes process questions to the people responsible for them. It is useful when you cannot answer every employment question yourself. Name a realistic contact or follow-up time, and avoid promising a particular payment or benefit outcome before it has been checked.

• I will confirm the next steps with HR and send you the relevant contact details.
• HR will explain the departure paperwork; I will focus on the project handover with you.
• I will check who is handling your final arrangements and let you know tomorrow.
• I have asked our HR adviser to clarify the process before we confirm anything further.

5. I respect your decision

This recognises the employee’s choice without asking them to defend it. Use it when the conversation risks becoming a negotiation they did not request. You can still discuss practical arrangements, but avoid attaching guilt about the extra work their departure creates.

• I respect your decision and appreciate you telling me in person.
• I respect your choice to move on; let us agree a manageable handover.
• I understand that you have made your decision and will support an orderly departure.
• Thank you for explaining your plans; I respect your decision to leave.

6. Could we have a short conversation about the transition?

This invites a practical discussion after acknowledging the letter. Give the conversation a clear purpose so it does not sound like pressure to withdraw the resignation. A private meeting is also better than discussing the employee’s reasons in front of colleagues.

• Could we meet tomorrow to discuss which projects need a handover?
• Would a short call on Thursday work for planning the transition?
• Could we have a private conversation about the remaining work and support you need?
• Let us set aside twenty minutes to agree the handover priorities.

Thanking the person for their contribution

Specific appreciation reads more naturally than a long list of compliments. Mention work you can honestly recognise.

7. Thank you for your work on this team

This adds appreciation to a formal reply. Follow it with a concrete contribution if you know one, rather than claiming the person transformed the whole organisation. Keep gratitude separate from any unresolved departure arrangements.

• Thank you for your work on this team, especially during the customer-support transition.
• I appreciate the care you put into our monthly reports.
• Thank you for helping the new starters find their feet.
• Your attention to the training materials has been a real help to the team.

8. Your contribution to the project is appreciated

This recognises a particular piece of work and suits a manager or project lead. Identify what the person contributed and why it mattered. Do not turn the acknowledgement into a request to keep working on the project after they leave.

• Your contribution to the launch checklist is appreciated; it made the responsibilities clearer.
• Thank you for bringing the budget review to completion before the handover.
• We appreciate the time you spent documenting the reporting process.
• Your work on the client briefing gave the team a stronger starting point.

9. It has been a pleasure working with you

This is a warm professional farewell for a colleague or manager. It does not address employment arrangements, so place it alongside a separate acknowledgement when replying formally. Use it only if it reflects the relationship rather than as an automatic compliment.

• It has been a pleasure working with you on the workshop series.
• I have enjoyed our collaboration and wish you well in your new role.
• Working alongside you on the support desk has been a pleasure.
• I am glad we had the chance to work together this year.

10. I have learned a lot from working with you

This thanks a mentor or experienced colleague for a specific influence. It is especially useful in a personal reply to a departure announcement. Name something you learned so the message feels addressed to this person rather than copied from a farewell card.

• I have learned a lot from the way you prepare for difficult client meetings.
• Thank you for showing me how to explain the figures without overloading the slides.
• Your feedback helped me become more confident when presenting to the board.
• I will carry your approach to careful planning into my next project.

11. We will miss your presence on the team

This expresses sadness without making the person responsible for fixing it. Avoid suggesting the team cannot cope or that leaving is disloyal. Add a genuine detail about the relationship, then move to a good wish or practical next step.

• We will miss your thoughtful questions at our planning meetings.
• I will miss having you beside me on the early shift.
• The team will miss your patient explanations during training.
• We will miss working with you, and we wish you well with the move.

12. I wish you well with your next plans

This is suitable when you do not know whether the person is taking another job. It avoids assuming a promotion, relocation, or happy reason for leaving. If they have shared their plans, tailor the good wish without asking for private details.

• I wish you well with your next plans, whatever shape they take.
• Best wishes as you take some time away from work.
• I hope your studies go well and give you the change you are looking for.
• Wishing you well with the move and everything that comes after it.

Agreeing a manageable handover

Ask for work-related information within the remaining time. Do not imply that the departing employee must solve every staffing problem.

13. Let us agree the handover priorities

This makes the transition realistic when several tasks remain. Discuss what needs finishing, what can be documented, and what must pass to someone else. Priorities should reflect the available working time rather than the team’s entire wish list.

• Let us agree which two tasks need your attention before your final day.
• We can prioritise the client notes and transfer the remaining work to the team.
• Could we review the open items and choose what is realistic to complete?
• Let us make a short handover list with an owner for each remaining task.

14. Could you document the current position?

This requests information that allows someone else to continue the work. Ask for status, next actions, and existing file locations, rather than an elaborate manual unless time allows. Keep account access within approved company procedures.

• Could you record the current status of the three open client requests?
• Please add the next steps to the project notes before we meet.
• A short summary of what has been completed and what remains would help.
• Could you list the relevant folders and the people responsible for each workstream?

15. We will arrange someone to take over

This states the manager’s responsibility for assigning the remaining work. It reassures the departing employee that the handover has an owner. Avoid promising a replacement appointment unless it is confirmed; another team member may take the work temporarily.

• We will arrange someone to take over the weekly reporting.
• I will identify a contact for the client and introduce you both.
• The team lead will allocate the remaining tickets before your last week.
• We will confirm the handover owner so you know whom to brief.

16. Please tell me what support would help

This asks about practical obstacles during the transition. Offer help you can actually arrange, such as time for documentation or a meeting with the new owner. It should not become an invitation to disclose personal reasons for resigning.

• Please tell me if you need time blocked out for the handover notes.
• Would a joint meeting with the project owner make the transition easier?
• Let me know which questions need a decision from me before you finish.
• If competing deadlines make the handover difficult, we can review the priorities together.

17. We will agree how to tell the team

This respects the timing and wording of the departure announcement. Ask what has already been shared and coordinate work-related information. Do not assume permission to announce private reasons, a future employer, or other personal details.

• Let us agree when to tell the team and what information to include.
• Have you already spoken to your close colleagues about the departure?
• We can keep the announcement to your leaving date and the handover contact.
• I will check the wording with you before sending the team update.

18. Let us keep the remaining arrangements in writing

This helps when decisions are spread across calls and messages. Summarise agreed dates, responsibilities, and outstanding questions in a follow-up email. Written clarity should record the actual agreement, not create new conditions that were never discussed.

• I will email a summary of the handover plan after our meeting.
• Let us record the agreed final day and the remaining project responsibilities.
• I will send the confirmed arrangements so we both have the same information.
• Please flag anything in my summary that does not match what we discussed.

Handling more sensitive departures

Keep your reply calm and within your authority. A difficult resignation does not need a difficult farewell.

19. I would like to understand your concerns, if you want to share them

This makes feedback optional when the resignation mentions problems. It is not a demand for a justification. Give the person another appropriate contact if they prefer, and do not promise confidentiality or a particular outcome you cannot deliver.

• If you want to discuss the concerns in your letter, I am available tomorrow.
• You are welcome to share feedback with me or with our HR contact.
• I would like to understand your experience, but you do not need to explain more in this reply.
• If a separate conversation would be useful, we can arrange one privately.

20. I will check the request before agreeing to it

This addresses an early leaving date or unusual arrangement without rejecting it impulsively. Explain what needs checking and when you expect to respond. Keep the acknowledgement of resignation separate from approval of the additional request.

• I will check the request for an earlier final day before confirming it.
• I need to review the proposed handover period with the project lead.
• I will ask the appropriate manager about your requested change and reply tomorrow.
• Thank you for explaining the request; I cannot confirm that arrangement until it has been reviewed.

21. I will direct reference requests to the right person

This avoids promising an unrestricted personal reference where company policy may limit it. A colleague can offer a personal recommendation if appropriate, but should say what they can honestly comment on. Do not imply that future reference requests are already approved.

• Our HR team handles employment references; I will send you their contact details.
• If a personal recommendation is appropriate, I can speak about our work on the training project.
• I will check the reference process before committing to a letter.
• Please direct formal reference requests to the contact listed in the departure information.

22. I am sorry that the role has not worked out as you hoped

This acknowledges disappointment without arguing about blame in the resignation reply. Use it when the person has already described a difficult experience. Any concern requiring investigation should go through the appropriate process rather than being settled by a reassuring sentence.

• I am sorry that the role has not matched what you expected.
• Thank you for telling me that the workload has been difficult; I will pass that concern to the appropriate contact.
• I am sorry to hear about your experience and will make sure the next steps are clear.
• I recognise that this has been a difficult decision for you.

23. I am available for the handover until your final day

This offers a defined form of support and keeps the working boundary clear. It is better than promising to help with anything at any time. A colleague can specify a meeting or task they are able to assist with.

• I am available this week if you need a decision on the handover notes.
• We can use our regular check-in to resolve any remaining project questions.
• I can help brief the new contact before your final day.
• Please bring outstanding work questions to our Tuesday handover meeting.

24. Thank you, and please keep in touch if you would like

This is a personal closing rather than a departure requirement. It allows the relationship to continue without pressuring the person to visit, respond, or remain available for work. Use an appropriate contact channel and leave the choice with them.

• Thank you for being a generous colleague; I would be glad to hear how you get on.
• I hope we cross paths again at a future workshop.
• Please keep in touch if you would like; I have enjoyed working with you.
• Wishing you well, and thank you for everything we achieved together.

What should a manager include in a full resignation response?

Acknowledge receipt, record the confirmed leaving date, thank the employee where appropriate, and explain the next practical steps. For example: Thank you for your letter. I acknowledge your resignation. Once HR has confirmed the final working day, we will agree the handover and the team communication. Use the confirmed date in the final version; do not leave the employee guessing.

Should a colleague reply differently from a manager?

Yes. A colleague’s reply usually needs appreciation and a good wish rather than formal employment arrangements. Try: I have enjoyed working with you on the workshops. Thank you for your support, and I hope your next role goes well. Leave notice, pay, and company records to the people responsible for them.

Can you ask the employee to reconsider?

If you have authority and a genuine alternative to discuss, ask whether they want that conversation. Do not make their acknowledgement or handover depend on reconsidering. If they decline, respect the answer and continue with the departure arrangements.

For a UK employer’s formal response, the Acas resignation guidance explains its recommended written acknowledgement. Keep the applicable process separate from a personal farewell.

Quick reference

Wording	Meaning and use
Thank you for letting me know	This acknowledges the message without making a decision about its details.
I acknowledge receipt of your resignation	This is a formal acknowledgement for an employer’s written record.
Could we confirm your proposed last working day?	Ask this when the letter gives an unclear date or the date needs checking.
I will confirm the next steps with HR	This routes process questions to the people responsible for them.
I respect your decision	This recognises the employee’s choice without asking them to defend it.
Could we have a short conversation about the transition?	This invites a practical discussion after acknowledging the letter.
Thank you for your work on this team	This adds appreciation to a formal reply.
Your contribution to the project is appreciated	This recognises a particular piece of work and suits a manager or project lead.
It has been a pleasure working with you	This is a warm professional farewell for a colleague or manager.
I have learned a lot from working with you	This thanks a mentor or experienced colleague for a specific influence.
We will miss your presence on the team	This expresses sadness without making the person responsible for fixing it.
I wish you well with your next plans	This is suitable when you do not know whether the person is taking another job.
Let us agree the handover priorities	This makes the transition realistic when several tasks remain.
Could you document the current position?	This requests information that allows someone else to continue the work.
We will arrange someone to take over	This states the manager’s responsibility for assigning the remaining work.
Please tell me what support would help	This asks about practical obstacles during the transition.
We will agree how to tell the team	This respects the timing and wording of the departure announcement.
Let us keep the remaining arrangements in writing	This helps when decisions are spread across calls and messages.
I would like to understand your concerns, if you want to share them	This makes feedback optional when the resignation mentions problems.
I will check the request before agreeing to it	This addresses an early leaving date or unusual arrangement without rejecting it impulsively.
I will direct reference requests to the right person	This avoids promising an unrestricted personal reference where company policy may limit it.
I am sorry that the role has not worked out as you hoped	This acknowledges disappointment without arguing about blame in the resignation reply.
I am available for the handover until your final day	This offers a defined form of support and keeps the working boundary clear.
Thank you, and please keep in touch if you would like	This is a personal closing rather than a departure requirement.