Emre Ok
There are a few things more exciting than someone new joining the team. You can never truly know just what kind of an experience they will be having in your organization but a positive first step never hurts. Employee welcome kits are a tried and tested way to make sure your new hires know just how excited you are to have them.
The first day on the job can be stressful for everybody. That stress, stemming from being in an unfamiliar environment, can easily be negated if you make a great first impression. And remember: You only get one of those.
New hire welcome kits are an essential step in the process of onboarding new hires. The onboarding process might take a lot longer than the first day itself but any employee will tell you that the first day just might be the most influential step in of the onboarding journey.
So in this article, we will be looking at:
What you should put inside your employee welcome kits + Best places to help you build your welcome kits
Let’s dive right in!
Table of Contents
What are the benefits of new employee welcome kits?
- Helps new employees feel valued: Providing a welcoming kit to new employees can make them feel valued and appreciated by the company and isn’t that the best possible foot for your blossoming relationship with new hires to get started on?
- Improves onboarding experience: An employee welcome kit can help to improve the onboarding experience for new hires by simply providing them with all the preboarding information and resources they need to get their journey in your organization started.
- Promotes company culture and values: Including information about company culture and values in an employee welcome kit is a great way for new employees to understand what the company stands for and what is expected of them. If you are looking to inspire a sense of belonging in your employees from the very start, then welcome kits are the way to go!
- Reduces anxiety and stress: Starting a new job can be stressful and anxiety-inducing; Especially on the very first day! A well-designed employee welcome kit can take your new hire’s mind off of those anxieties and help to reduce some of that stress by simply putting a smile on their face.
What should a welcome kit include?
1. A welcome letter
One thing that belongs in every welcome kit, no matter which direction you choose to go with, is a welcome letter. The written word is far from being gone! Instead, the rarity of someone writing an actual letter makes well-written welcome letters a great option to both surprise and engage your new hires.
Including a welcome letter in your new employee welcome kit is only effective if the letter you prepare feels genuine and unique. If your employee reads something that sounds copied and pasted, then your welcome letter is as good as a random piece of paper.
If you take the time to learn about the new hire you are onboarding and write a personalized letter for them, telling them just how excited you are to have them in your team, you will start off on the right foot for sure.
2. Company swag
Why do humans buy jerseys or band t-shirts? Because we want to feel like we are a part of something that is larger than us. Including custom company swag in your welcome kit is a great way to say “Hey! You are part of the team now.”.
We know that the term “Company swag” is a bit broad. In all honesty, Company swag can include things like t-shirts, water bottles, hats, or other branded merchandise.
Giving away company swag in your employee welcome kit can have incredibly positive effects on your employees such as:
- Creating a sense of belonging.
- Building brand awareness.
- Boosting overall morale.
A great idea when creating a new hire welcome kit is to carefully consider what is going to be going inside those packages. You can’t slap a corporate logo on a random item and call it company swag. When picking out company swag for a new hire welcome kit, one thing to keep in mind is function. You should always ask yourself;
Is this thing going to be useful or will it be thrown away after a couple of minutes of courtesy ownership?
3. Company Handbook
Your new hire welcome kits can’t be all fun and games can they? They are also a great way to do some housekeeping and take some workload off of your employee onboarding process. A company handbook, presenting your new hires with information on how your organization does things is a very clever way to start the onboarding process, without actually starting it!
The bottom line is, every company has its own set of policies and procedures, and a company handbook is the best way to get new employees familiar with them. Make sure to include information on everything from vacation policies to employee benefits. This way, new employees can hit the ground running and feel confident in their new role.
4. Company Culture Guide
Company culture guide isn’t the same thing as a company handbook? Oddly enough, it isn’t! If your company handbook is focused on “What” your organization does, then the culture guide is probably more concerned with the “How?” and “Why?” of it all.
Your company culture is what sets you apart from other businesses, so it’s important to make sure new hires understand what makes your company tick. Including a guide that outlines your company’s values, mission, and vision can help new employees feel like they are part of something bigger and help them align their work with your company’s goals.
5. Mugs
Are mugs a bit of a cliche at this point? Sure. Are they still one of the best workplace gifts ever invented? Yes to the yes to the power of yes! Gift mugs can come in a variety of styles, sizes, and colors. You can choose a classic ceramic mug, a stylish travel mug, or even a fun novelty mug that reflects the company’s personality. Some companies also include other goodies inside the mug, such as packets of hot cocoa, tea bags, or even a small plant or succulent.
Whether you are presenting your employees with a stylish mug that they can display on their desks proudly, or a strange one they carry around ironically, mugs will always be some of the best options to add to your employee welcome kit.
6. Coffee on the house
Two coffee-centric entries back to back? You better believe it! Because guess what? The modern workplace is fueled by a great many things and coffee is one of them! Including a free coffee gift card is a simple but thoughtful way to make new hires feel welcomed and appreciated. It’s like saying, “Hey, we know starting a new job can be stressful, but here’s a little something to help you get through the day (or at least the morning).”
A great way to map this out is to start a relationship with a nearby coffee house. When you form a relationship with a coffee house near your office, you are giving your team their very own Central Perk or Mclaren’s pub. It is an absolutely brilliant way to build a strong company culture.
7. Custom stickers
It is time to get creative. Custom stickers are easy to mass produce and they take up so little space it is hilarious that not every organization has them in their employee welcome kits. Once again, we are playing the “Let’s create a sense of identity and belonging.” here but this time it is a simple and helpful decision to make.
We all carry around massive amounts of technology with us day in and day out. Do you know what those boring laptop covers can use? Some fun and creative stickers that help you represent your organization with ease.
8. Welcome playlist
Having playlists in your organization is always a good idea. Including them in your welcome kits for new hires is a great idea. Yet a simple playlist just won’t do. Instead, why not give the employee full access to the team playlist and ask them to add their own to the mix?
This is absolutely a gamble, expecting team members to have a similar music taste to you. Either way, if a new hire gets access to the playlist, then it shows that everyone will get to edit the playlist at some point.
9. Tech merch
Merch—>Good. Tech merch —> Better! If there is one thing we all love more than company swag or regular merch, it is techy Macguffins that make our slightly easier. From power banks to branded mag safe phone cases, to headphones, you should definitely include at least one tech related item in your new employee welcome kit.
10. Subscriptions of your choice
In today’s digital age, there are so many amazing subscription services out there that can make our lives easier, more productive, and more enjoyable. Subscriptions are one of those things that we all have so many of, yet still need more of. Why not give your new employees the gift of a subscription of their choice in their welcome kit?
It could be anything from a meal delivery service to a fitness app to a magazine subscription. It’s a thoughtful gesture that shows you care about their personal interests and well-being, and it’s also a great way to encourage them to take some time for themselves outside of work.
11. Social media information
Not everything can be about your new hires! You need to plug your social media accounts inside your welcome kit. Besides, if they have been hired, yet still aren’t following your company on various social networks…What are they doing?
A simple card with all of your social media tags and details should do the trick here. Including social media information in your employee welcome kit can be a great way to help new hires get connected and engaged with their colleagues and the wider community. You could include links to the company’s social media profiles, as well as relevant hashtags or groups to follow.
Using employee onboarding software
Before we dive further into some of the best platforms for creating new hire welcome kits, we want to let you know that welcoming kits aren’t the only way to keep new hires engaged. Taking advantage of employee onboarding software is another way you can make sure your new employees are well-acclimated to your organization.
Teamflect
If your company uses Microsoft Teams on a daily basis, then the best employee onboarding software you can use is Teamflect. Teamflect is an all-in-one performance management software designed specifically for Microsoft Teams, which has incredible employee onboarding features such as:
- Customizable employee recognition badges
- Fully automatable onboarding surveys
- First 30-60-90 day review templates
- Buddy and mentorship programs
With complete Microsoft Teams integration, Teamflect lets your users create tasks, set goals, and conduct entire performance review cycles without ever having to leave Microsoft Teams!
