Condolence Letter Template

This free condolence letter template gives you sincere wording you can copy, personalize, and send when someone you work with is grieving. A few honest sentences, sent soon after the loss, mean more than a long, polished letter or one that arrives late. Below is guidance on what to say, along with a sample and short scenario versions you can review for inspiration.

This is one of the letters in our free Business Letter Templates collection.

At some point in your career, an employee, client or business associate will experience a time of sadness, loss or tragedy. During these moments in life there are no perfect words, but a sincere message of condolence can help let associates know that you are thinking about them.

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Leaders serve an important purpose for their employees when tragedy strikes. Your ability to show you care during hard times is central to being a respected leader.

There are several effective tips you can use when preparing to send a sympathy card or letter of condolence. The most important thing is to be completely authentic and sincere.

During times of crisis it can be difficult for some people to maintain a totally calm and professional state of mind. Leaders should provide support and afford the individual the time necessary to grasp the total weight of their loss and to allow room to deal with their emotions and the situation at hand.

Words of encouragement from a leader at a time when an employee is dealing with a difficult situation can be a major opportunity to connect and build trust with that employee.

Managers are encouraged to hand-write the message when they can. Handwritten notes are always appropriate in times of sorrow and sadness. Hand writing the note maintains a personal touch that strengthens a sincere and caring message.

We encourage you to make use of our free condolence letter template, which is just one in a collection of business writing templates available for free download.

When to Send a Condolence Letter

Send a thoughtful message of condolence when someone you work with has experienced a death, a serious accident, or another personal loss.

The person might be an employee, a colleague, a client, or a business associate, and the same brief, sincere note fits each of them. Reaching out soon after you learn of the loss will convey your concern and sympathy for the recipient, even if you didn't know the person who died.

What to Keep in Mind

A few things to remain focused on as you write your message.

• Keep it brief: The person is drained and grieving, so a few sincere sentences are kinder than a long letter.
• Make it personal: If you knew the person who died, name a specific quality or a small memory of them. A thoughtful gift of flowers or other will also be well received.
• Offer concrete help: Name something specific you'll take care of, and then do it.
• Follow their lead on faith: You represent the organization, so keep the default neutral and add a religious note only when you know it would comfort them.
• Hand-write it when you can: A handwritten note carries a warmth that a typed one can't match.

The Condolence Letter Template

Copy the text below and customize to make it your own.

A good condolence letter covers four things: open with sympathy, acknowledge the loss plainly, offer specific help, and close warmly.

Replace each bracketed field, and if you knew the person who died, add one specific line about them. The italic blue notes are guidance, not text to send without thinking through.

Tip: a handwritten note with a few lines added to a printed letter, carries a warmth that means a great deal at a time of personal difficulty.

Email Version

Before you send.

After completing this condolence letter temple, read the note back as if you were the one receiving it, and when you're unsure of the tone, ask a trusted colleague to look it over. A condolence letter is easy to get slightly wrong, and a second reader catches what you might not see. Send it soon after you learn of the loss. If time has already passed, and send it anyway, because a sincere note that arrives late is far better than none at all.

Condolence Letter Examples by Situation

The same sincere condolence letter template can adapt to whoever you're writing to. Here's the full template filled in for an employee, followed by two shorter versions for a coworker and a client.

Employee Example

Coworker Example

Client Example

What makes these letters land well is that each one names the loss honestly, takes a real worry off the person's shoulders, and asks for nothing in return.

Take whichever version fits your situation, change the details in your own voice, and add the one thing only you would know to say. That's what turns a template into a letter that matters.

What to Avoid

A short list of the things that most often make a condolence note land wrong.

• Clichés: "In a better place" or "everything happens for a reason" can sting more than comfort. Plain and sincere beats a stock phrase.
• Making it long: A grieving person is tired. More words don't add more care, and they're harder to take in.
• Forcing a bright side: Don't rush the person toward silver linings or lessons. Let the loss be what it is.
• Overexplaining: You don't need to account for why it happened or how you feel about it. Keep the focus on them.
• Promising what you won't do: "Anything you need, anytime" rings hollow if it's not real. Offer something specific you'll actually follow through on.

Frequently Asked Questions

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