Did you know the onboarding experience can impact your new hires’ impressions of your company? About 70% claim that onboarding can make or break the new employees’ experience.
That begs the question: How do you provide your newly hired employees with the best onboarding experience? One way is to offer them attractive and creative welcome kits!
Fret not as this page shares with you the best welcome kits for new employees. Read on for helpful recommendations in building a positive first impression.
Why Welcome Kits Matter for New Employees
Onboarding is critical to the human resources (HR) process, which comes after the job offer and before the actual work or training.
The onboarding process involves integrating newly hired employees into the workplace by introducing them to the company culture, policies, and work environment. It is technically their first day of work and the end of their company induction. The goal is to make them feel welcomed, valued, and supported from the get-go.
However, the pressure is on when it comes to onboarding. The same Paychex survey above revealed that only half of employees (52%) are satisfied with their latest onboarding experience. How do you ensure they have the best experience possible?
Enter welcome kits, which are precisely what they are—tangible items or intangible messages given to ‘welcome’ newly hired employees to your organization. They help these employees create a good impression about your company for workplace engagement and business success.
That said, here’s why these welcome packages matter to new hires:
Welcome kits uphold your company culture at the beginning. They are a perfect way to showcase your brand—your core values, ideals, and philosophies. Not only do these items symbolize a lucrative business, but the gesture sends a message of caring organization for its people. Talmundo cites that onboarding is essential for culture and integration to help you achieve the following objectives:
Welcome kits make new hires feel valued from day one. They are particularly critical now that Gen Z is entering the job market as one of the HR trends in 2025. But regardless of generations, you want new hires to feel acknowledged and supported right from the beginning, so they, too, will deliver!
Welcome kits ignite employee motivation and satisfaction at the outset. As cited, these packages make the new hires feel truly welcomed and valued. As a result, they will feel motivated to work and become satisfied with their jobs early on. Be wary: Nearly 5% of new hires quit after a bad first day, and over 20% leave within 45 days.
Discover the key essentials of a welcome kit below.
Key Components of an Effective Welcome Kit
There’s no denying the emergency of modern workplace trends, such as shift shock, quiet quitting, and career cushioning. As an employer, you’ll do what it takes to make your employees happy and satisfied in the workplace. And what better way to ensure this than to kick off their employment with welcome kits?
But wondering what welcome packages to hand over? Here are some of the best ones:
Company swags: These items are branded merchandise you give to employees, clients, and/or customers. Give out t-shirts, mugs, and notebooks, where your brand name unfolds right before the new hires’ eyes.
Office essentials: Office supplies are best for newly hired employees due to practical reasons. Consider providing a laptop, headset, pens, and notepads they can use for day-to-day functions.
Personalized items: What better way to make new hires feel welcomed than to customize items or messages for them? Think of name tags, welcome letters from the CEO, and team introduction booklets meant right for them!
Onboarding materials: If you want useful welcome kits for your new hires, consider these—handbook, policies, benefits guide, and pertinent contacts. They are practical for your new employees and training team—a win-win for both parties!
Well-being add-ons: There are other things you can give your employees, such as wellness and fun additions. Think of snacks, gift cards, stress balls, and fitness incentives that can make a world of difference!
The best employee welcome kits
Now, you have an idea of what welcome packages to give to your newly hired employees. However, it’s best to get some inspiration from big companies. That said, here are the best employee welcome kits from top global brands:
Google: Noogler Welcome Kit
Their fun, colorful welcome kits show that Google values creativity and humor. With their innovative culture, a pair of dotted Google socks is a perfect way to make new hires feel part of the team.
Amazon: Amazon Welcome Box
Amazon’s welcome box uses branded merch to help new hires feel connected and remember the company’s mission. A simple flyer in the kit can reinforce company values and culture from day one.
Meta: Meta Onboarding Kit
Meta’s onboarding kit gets creative with custom socks that deliver a vital message in a fun way. Personalizing starter kits with unique labels and a branded postcard makes the experience memorable for new hires.
Uber: Uber Freight Starter Kit
Uber welcomes new hires with a starter kit in their brand colors, making employees feel part of the team right from the start. Branded merch helps create a sense of belonging, thus boosting performance and morale.
Apple: Apple Welcome Kit
Apple’s welcome pack includes branded merch and a note that builds excitement about the new journey. It’s a great way to highlight company values and make new hires feel valued.
How To Create a Memorable Welcome Kit
Providing the best onboarding experience is crucial for employee morale, job satisfaction, and retention. The same Paychex survey cites the five elements required to improve the onboarding process. As you can see below, creating an epic welcome is one of the best ways to achieve this:
That’s where welcome packages come into the picture for creating a welcoming experience.
Welcome kits become employee testimonials that strengthen your brand as an employer. They help build a lasting positive impression about your company or organization. However, you need to think and plan what particular kits to offer.
Follow the crucial steps below:
1. Stay true to your brand
When it comes to onboarding, you don’t just invest in random welcome kits and hand them up to your new hires. What better way to put meaning into them than to align them with your brand? Start by setting your goals and developing an action plan!
Ask two key questions: How can these kits uphold your brand, reflect your company culture, and promote your business values? Will these resonate with your newly hired employees? Sit down with all the HR personnel and decide what welcome packages to offer. Remember, stay true to your brand!
2. Add a personal touch
Today’s globally distributed workforce has become more diverse than ever before. It’s easy to see newly hired employees with hybrid work setups working from anywhere in the world. The shift between remote and in-office work has changed, with some returning to the office while hybrid work remains steady.
With a diverse workforce, personalize your welcome kits instead of sending generic packages. For example, tailor the package for each employee based on their personal backgrounds, whether sending handwritten notes or customized gifts. Or, if your new hires are working remotely, harness the benefits of unified communication by welcoming them with truly heartfelt messages.
3. Mix practical with fun
It’s tempting to send aesthetically appealing welcome kits to win the new hire’s hearts. But on the flip side, you want to be practical by offering applicable welcome packages they can use at work. Here’s the trick of the trade: strike a balance between beauty and practicality.
Of course, you want to excite your new hires with fun and exciting items. But at the same time, you want them to be able to use these items personally or for work. For example, if you’re handing out office supplies like pens and notepads, embellish these items with their aesthetic names. That way, they will not only use them but also feel special!
4. Go green with sustainable choices
Sustainability has become not only a buzzword but a critical implementation in business. The idea is for companies to be socially responsible by implementing sustainable practices. The goal is to sustain your business long-term while helping save the environment. So, amidst the diverse generations in the workplace, sustainability remains critical these days.
Employing sustainable measures is also the responsibility of the HR department. Regarding onboarding, what better way to uphold this than to offer sustainable products? Think of giving new hires eco-friendly packaging and reusable items—these create a positive impression that your company is socially responsible!
5. Keep it fresh and relevant
As with any industry trends, welcome package trends also come and go. The kits you gave your newly hired employees might no longer be relevant this year. Or, if you hand up the same old items, they may no longer appeal to your new hires. So, updating your welcome kits periodically is crucial to stay fresh and relevant.
Start by researching upcoming trends for welcome packages. Learn from some of the top brands mentioned above. Then, align these trends with your personal brand and core values. Finally, ensure these welcome kits resonate with your newly hired employees. All these will help you make their onboarding experience truly memorable!
Wrapping Up
The onboarding experience can impact your new hires’ overall impression of your company. It can later affect how they perform at work and engage with other team members. That’s why you’ll do what it takes to offer them the best experience possible.
Start by providing new hires with attractive and creative welcome kits. Consider some of the best recommendations, whether business swags or customized items. Take inspiration from the top brands like Google, Meta, and Apple.
These kits might just be welcome packages for your new hires. However, they can go a long way in building a positive first and lasting impression about your company—make them work!
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