Which sign-off should I use at the end of a work email?

Question

Accepted Answer

The sign-off matters less than the line above it. What readers actually respond to is whether the last sentence tells them what to do next; "Best regards" on a message with no clear ask still gets ignored. Choose the closing by how well you know the reader, put the action in the sentence before it, and then stop worrying about it.

Best regards — The default for external and first-contact email in most English-speaking workplaces. Never wrong, never memorable. Example: Could you confirm the invoice reference by Wednesday?

Best regards,
Maria

Thanks — The most common internal closing. It works even when nobody has done anything yet, which is why it has drifted into a general sign-off. Example: I'll send the revised numbers once finance confirms.

Thanks,
Maria

Kind regards — Slightly warmer than "Best regards" and very common in British and Irish email. Rare in American correspondence, where it can read as formal. Example: I've copied in the support team so they have the history.

Kind regards,
Maria

Do not use a warm sign-off to take the edge off a message that carries bad news. "Kind regards" under a paragraph withdrawing an offer reads as either oblivious or passive-aggressive, depending on the reader's mood. In difficult messages, drop to a plain "Regards" or your name alone, and put the care into the explanation rather than the closing.

How to end a work email in English

Ways to say it

Best regards

Thanks

Kind regards

When not to use this

Part of

Related phrases