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New employees are your most valuable asset. They represent the future of your company, and their success is dependent on how well you welcome and support them during their first few weeks at work. A welcome kit can help new employees feel at home by offering important information about the company, explaining what’s expected of them, and providing a resource for solving problems—all in one neat package.
Welcome kits and welcome bags are a great way to make new employees feel welcome and included
You can use your company colors and logo, or even decorate with images that reflect the office culture. Here are some ideas for what to include in a new employees welcome kit or bag:
A good welcome packet should include:
- Information about the company (e.g., mission statement)
- Information about benefits (e.g., 401k matching)
- A list of resources available to employees (e.g., employee handbook)
- Tips on getting the most out of your experience at your company
- Company swag
Company swag
Many companies include company swag in their welcome kits to help employees feel welcome and connected to the company. Some examples of items that could be included are:
- Coffee mugs, water bottles, and tumblers
- Stickers (fun, not just promotional)
- Pens/pencils/sharpies
Be sure to ask for feedback on how much swag is enough—some people may prefer fewer items because they don’t want their desk to get cluttered; others may want more because they need it for work tasks like taking notes at meetings or making phone calls
A personalized welcome note
A personal welcome note from you, their manager, and one from the CEO or another high-ranking employee is a great way to make someone feel welcomed when they arrive at their new workplace. A welcome note can include any of the following:
- A personalized welcome message. This could be as simple as “Welcome to the company.”
- Contact information for the HR department, so that employees know where to go if they need help with paperwork or anything else related to their employment status.
- Contact information for managers, so that employees have someone they can go to if they need help getting acclimated at work or want advice on navigating office politics.
- Contact information for IT departments (if there are any), which may be important if an employee wants assistance setting up computers or other equipment in their office spaces
A name plate for their desk
A name plate for their desk is a great way to personalize the desk and make it feel like “their space,” even if they’re in an open office environment where everyone at work can see what they’re working on. (Plus, we all know how important that first impression is.)
- Keep it simple with just your employee’s name and title or add some fun details like their favorite hobby or favorite food—anything that helps them stand out from the crowd will do!
- Metal or wood materials are best for these custom pieces as they’ll last longer than plastic ones would tend to do over time when exposed to direct sunlight all day long (this goes back to our point above about creating a comfortable workspace environment).
- We recommend engraving this personalized piece instead of printing it so there’s no possibility of fading over time (which could happen if you had something printed onto vinyl) – this personalization method also allows us more freedom when designing a unique design that fits within our company brand guidelines without compromising quality too much.”
Business cards
Business cards are a great way to show the employee is a welcomed addition. It’s important to give your new employee business cards that include their name and contact information, along with any other relevant details of their role at the company. This could include:
- Company name and logo
- Job title (or roles) within the organization
- Person’s full name
- Contact information
Task reminders and due dates
One of the biggest challenges employees face is keeping track of the tasks they need to do, and remembering when they’re due. By including a calendar, task reminders and due dates in your welcome kit, you can help them stay organized.
The calendars should be large enough for each employee to see without straining their eyes, but not so big that it’ll take up too much space in their bag or desk drawer. The task list should also be written out in large print so they can easily read it at a glance—and if necessary, have sticky notes or flags included with the list so they know which tasks have been completed already.
The company handbook and manuals
The company handbook and manuals should be included in the welcome kit. The company handbook contains information about benefits, office codes of conduct and other important information to help new hires adjust to life at your company. The manuals contain products and service information, but they also tell you about the culture of your workplace, who you are as an organization, and what sets you apart from competitors (if anything).
Conclusion
The most important thing to remember is that the welcome kit is a gift from you, and it should reflect the values of your company. I hope this article was helpful for you to create an awesome employee welcome kit! For more guidance, templates, checklist and resources sign up for our staff management course.
