The Next Chapter: Understanding The Importance Of An Acceptance Letter For Resignation

As an employer, one of the things that you want to avoid is when an employee officially resigns. But this scenario is inevitable since, according to a study, throughout 2021, an average of 3.98 million people quit their jobs every month. One thing you need to do to make their resignation go smoothly is to write an acceptance letter.

Here is an article for you to know more about acceptance letters and a guide on how to write them.

Why Is An Acceptance Letter For Resignation Important?

An acceptance letter for resignation is a document that confirms an employee’s request to leave. It’s a chance to thank the employee for what they’ve done for the company and wish them luck in their plans.

And when an employee expresses his intention to resign, the best way to approach it is to know the details of his resignation letter and follow it up with an acceptance letter. The employer should then ensure that the employee acknowledges their resignation and last work day.

An employer needs to respond formally on time. Here are some other reasons why it is important:

1. You can’t stop someone from leaving.

You may not agree with it, and it is okay for you to persuade them to remain, but you cannot physically prevent them from leaving.

2. It will lead to confusion.

Employees that don’t quit may not tell you why. If the company hasn’t acknowledged the resignation in writing, the employee might declare they never resigned.

3. It will damage the morale of the company.

If you attempt to keep someone from leaving, you set a negative example for other workers who may depart. Instead of making people less inclined to quit, it will lower morale and productivity.

Tips On Writing This Letter

Here are some tips for writing a formal letter of acceptance of a resignation:

• Keep the letter brief and concise.

Write a concise and brief letter. You should thank and wish the employee well in your letter. Include any expectations before they depart, as well as the next steps or firm deadlines for offboarding responsibilities.

• Use business letter format.

This is a business letter, so write it according to the standard format. The letter’s top left corner should have your contact information, the employee’s, and the date. Sign and put your name below to close the mail.

• Express Appreciation And Understanding

Your response should reflect that you’re sad to lose the employee but accept, understand, and cherish their hard decision. You might also assist.

• Keep a record

Send one letter to the employee and retain the other for the employee’s records. You might either preserve the letter or forward it to your company’s human resources department if one exists. It will help you keep track of when the person departed the firm.

• Proofread thoroughly

Before you send the letter or email, take the time to look for mistakes in grammar or spelling.

• Use professional language

The tone of your letter should be formal and businesslike. Don’t use casual language, even if you’re sending it via email.

Tips On Sending An Acceptance Letter For Resignation Letter Via Email

Many employees submit their resignation letters by email for a variety of reasons. In this case, you may also reply via email and accept their resignation letter. To make things professional, here are some tips:

• Write a formal email.

Your communication should follow a business letter structure even if you don’t need address paragraphs or a handwritten signature. Avoid text-speak and emojis.

• Use the formal subject line. 

Unless you’re directly replying to the employee’s resignation email, you should choose a subject line that clarifies the email. For example, “Resignation Accepted and Congratulations” would be a good subject line.

• Consider including your non-work email address.

This is based on the assumption that you would be willing to be a reference or referral.

• Proofread, and check your message.

Accepting a resignation lets you network. A professional, error-free message can help you network with your previous employer.

How To Draft A Response To An Employee’s Resignation Letter

To draft your professional response to a resignation letter then, follow these steps:

1. Use Format properly and structure.

Writing a good business letter requires proper style and organization. Block format without indenting is ideal. Also, leave a one-inch margin around the letter. Helvetica, Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman are legible fonts. Your font size should be between 10 and 12 points, the least comfortably visible size.

2. Include date and contact details

Start by putting your name, title, company name, and address at the top, left-aligned. Under your contact information, leave a blank space and then write the date. Put the employee’s name and address after the date.

3. Write a proper salutation.

Start with an official greeting, like “Dear (name)” You could also start with the person’s name, like “Ms. Lopez,” instead of a greeting.

4. Accept the resignation

Directly accept their resignation letter in the first phrase. The first paragraph may include your regrets regarding the employee’s leave, depending on the circumstances.

5. Write the final date of employment.

The employee’s last day of work should be included. You may indicate that, per their request, you are enabling them to stay at work until the last date or that their final date will be sooner, even that day.

6. Write any related information.

After confirming the employee’s final day, you may add additional information to the letter, such as future actions or expectations. The organization’s viewpoint and policies determine this step’s optionality.

7. Express appreciation

Regardless of the employee’s leave, it’s important to thank them for their work and wish them well. You may even volunteer to be a reference in the future.

8. Include a complementary closure.

Add a compliment at the end. “Sincerely,” “Best wishes,” and “Regards” are basic closings. Resignation acceptance letters should end formally.

9. Sign the letter

Leave space to sign your name after your free closing. Type your name and leave the blank spot if you’re emailing the letter.

Sample And Template

Here is a sample of a resignation acceptance letter that you can edit.

(Today’s date)

Dear (name of employee),

I confirm that I got your resignation letter dated (the date the employee quit).

I can say for sure that this will be your last day of work (date).

You will get your last payment on (date).

Your final pay, including any vacation pay you’re owed (and any deductions), will be (money value).

(Optional, if any deductions are taken out of the final pay) We took money out of your last paycheck for (what the pay deduction is for – for example, the cost of training agreed in your contract, outstanding loans).

(Optional – if pay in lieu of notice applies) We would like to offer you pay in lieu of notice. We will discuss this with you further.

On your last day, please bring back any corporate property to (contact person) at (business address). Everything on your end is included in this (list of what the employee needs to return – for example, ID card, security pass, laptop, mobile phone, company car, and any other equipment supplied by the company).

If you need a job reference, please get in touch with (name of the person or department to contact).

Thank you for all the work you did while (Business or organization name).

Yours sincerely,

(Your name)

(Your position)

(Business or organization name)

Wrap Up

• According to a study, throughout 2021, an average of 3.98 million people quit their jobs every month.
• A resignation acceptance letter confirms that an employee’s request to leave has been granted. It’s a chance to thank the employee for their work and wish them luck with their plans.
• When an employee resigns, the best way to handle it is to read his resignation letter and send an acceptance letter. The company should then confirm the employee’s resignation and final day.
• Many employees submit their resignation letters by email for a variety of reasons. In this case, you may also reply via email and accept their resignation letter.