5 Tips To Create Effective Welcome Kits

Welcome kits are an essential element of the employee onboarding process.

In addition to welcoming new hires, welcome kits also reinforce your company’s mission and values, unite internal teams and make your new employees feel valued. Check out the key benefits of welcome kits and welcome kit ideas~

Today, we’ll discover some tips to create effective welcome kits.

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1. Highlight Your Company’s Products & Services

If you sell snacks, clothes or logo design, why not include them in the welcome kit?

Welcome kits are a great opportunity to include branded swag and showcase your company’s products and services. Your employees should have firsthand experience in using your products and services. This way, they’ll know the benefits and help sell them (whether they work in frontline customer-facing or back-end roles).

For example, if books are the products I sell, I can include some books in the welcome kits. Or I can include a book voucher or “any book” wish list. This will cultivate a love for reading in new hires and encourage continuous learning.

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2. Leverage Your Team’s Strengths

Welcome kits aren’t solely Human Resources’ responsibility (although they can help with taking stock and distributing to new employees).

But as an employee who has joined the company for a while, you can also lend a helping hand in creating these welcome kits for new members who are joining the big family.

Tapping into your team’s talents and roping them in will add a touch of sincerity to the welcome kits.

Imagine how you’ll feel if you receive a welcome letter penned by the CEO or a handmade gift from your senior colleagues. I’m sure you’ll feel grateful and welcomed on your first day at work. And it definitely alleviates uneasiness and stress as you find out that the teammates that you’ll work with in the future are all so nice and friendly. Plus, it’s a great way to discover your colleagues’ talents and hobbies!

For instance, my hobby is modern calligraphy where I practice every weekend. Although it’s not perfect like professional calligraphers, it’s somewhat decent. But more importantly, it’s the thought that counts. I could help write the new employee’s name on welcome cards and envelopes.

However, do remember to compensate your employees. They’re making time and effort to help with your welcome kits. And this isn’t part of their job scope. Just like how you pay companies to create your branded swag, you’ll also need to pay your employees for their help in creating items to include in your welcome kits.

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3. Only Include Quality Swag

Welcome kits are the first opportunity for your company to make a great impression and help these new hires feel at home. Therefore, you need to be careful with what you include in the welcome kits.

It’s a worthwhile investment to create quality swag. Each item will showcase your company culture and highlight your company’s values. It also says shows how much you cherish new employees.

Welcome kits are not the place for cheap giveaways. By gifting new hires with low-quality items, it’s almost like you pity them and communicates the message that the company doesn’t value its employees.

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4. Be Thoughtful & Purposeful

Picture this: You gifted your new employees with welcome kits and yet, they put them aside and never used them for days, months or even years.

Tell me then, what’s the point of the welcome kits?

Thus, it is crucial to keep this in mind as you think about the items to include. Will your employees actually use these items outside of the office?

If it’s a product that people might buy themselves, it’s probably a good item to include in your welcome kit.

Be sure to select items with intention. There needs to be a purpose for every item you include.

• Reinforce your company’s mission & values
• Showcase your company culture

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5. Be Memorable

To ensure your company stays top of mind, it’s best to include unique and interesting items. Such a memorable welcome kit will make your new hires happy and perhaps, encourage them to stay longer.

Take this welcome kit from Element Three. In addition to the usual branded swag like water bottle, T-shirt and notebooks, the welcome kit also includes a personal welcome message from the CEO. Another unique item is the map of the office as well as nearby restaurants, categorized by cost. What I really love about this kit is that the box itself is a game with all kinds of hidden messages, funny quotes and jargon. This immediately introduces new hires to their company culture.

Similarly, if you include a FAQ in your welcome kit, you can incorporate some humor or wit into your replies. And of course, you should include a person whom new hires can ask for help, such as a HR manager or their direct supervisor.

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Now It’s Your Turn

Create an unforgettable first impression with a well thought out welcome kit!

Do you have welcome kits for your new hires? Are there any tips that you would like to share?

For more entrepreneurship tips, you can check out online courses at Fiverr Learn and CreativeLive. Or watch streaming broadcasts of free online classes at CreativeLive!