First impressions count, and a thoughtful welcome pack can help new starters feel comfortable, included, and part of the team from day one.
Welcome packs help inject your company culture into the onboarding experience and give new employees practical items to use straight away. They also act as a natural icebreaker with colleagues and give new starters something to focus on while waiting for initial meetings.
Also known as onboarding packs or welcome kits, welcome packs typically include a mix of essential items and thoughtful extras designed to make people feel valued.
This guide focuses on welcome pack ideas and inspiration, highlighting what businesses often include to create a positive first impression.
Welcoming New Starters with Branded Merchandise
We recently covered this topic in our Branded Products Minute video, where we explain why welcome packs have surged in popularity and how they help new starters feel valued from day one. Watch the video above.
Welcome Pack Ideas
Below are some popular welcome packs we regularly create for businesses. This guide is designed to inspire ideas rather than showcase fixed products, and most packs can be tailored to suit your brand, audience, and budget.
Ready-made branded welcome packs
If time is tight, a ready-made branded welcome pack is a simple and effective solution. These packs are available in various sizes, from letterbox-friendly packs for remote starters to larger presentation boxes for in-office teams.
A typical ready-made pack might include:
- A branded notebook
- A branded drinks bottle or travel mug
- A matching branded pen
The example above includes a branded mole notebook, a branded vacuum powder-coated drinks bottle and matching branded soft feel ballpoint pen, all designed to colour-match and be neatly packaged in a personalised postage box. Three essential items to ease in your new starter into their new work life.
These branded packs can also be sent to individual addresses on your behalf of those onboarding staff remotely. For more information on our branded gift packs – get in touch with our team and we can suggest the perfect pack for you!
Browse our onboarding welcome packs
Eco‑Friendly Welcome Packs
If sustainability is part of your brand values, an eco-friendly welcome pack is a great way to communicate this from day one. These packs focus on practical items made from recycled, renewable, or reusable materials.
Popular choices include reusable travel mugs, recycled notebooks and pens, bamboo phone stands, and cork coasters. They allow you to reinforce your environmental credentials while still providing everyday value.
Technology-focused / Remote Working Welcome Packs
Technology-focused welcome packs are especially useful for remote, hybrid, or desk-based roles where setup matters from day one.
Onboarding remote employees can be challenging, particularly when it comes to building connection and culture. A thoughtfully put-together welcome pack helps bridge that gap by creating a positive first impression and giving new starters practical tools to use straight away.
These packs often include useful work-from-home essentials such as cable adaptors, wireless chargers, headphones/speakers and webcam covers. Including practical tech accessories helps new starters feel productive quickly and shows you’ve considered how they’ll work, not just where.
The example packs above include a selection of essential branded tech items, such as power banks, wireless chargers, cables, and USB flash drives.
Wellbeing & Treats Welcome Packs
Adding a wellbeing or treats element to a welcome pack is a simple way to make the experience feel more personal and thoughtful.
This could be as small as a selection of snacks, tea or coffee, or something focused on wellbeing, such as a reusable water bottle, stress ball, or notebook for personal use. These items help break the ice, add warmth to the first day, and show new starters they’re valued as people, not just employees.
Wellbeing-focused additions work particularly well for remote starters, where small comforts can help recreate a sense of welcome from afar.
Budget‑Friendly Welcome Packs
A great welcome pack doesn’t need to come with a big price tag. Even a small selection of well-chosen branded items can make a strong impression.
Budget-friendly packs often include items like notebooks and pens, keyrings or lanyards, simple desk accessories, stickers or badges, and the occasional sweet treat. The focus is on usefulness and relevance rather than volume.
Seasonal packs
Seasonal welcome packs are a thoughtful way to tailor the onboarding experience to the time of year.
Summer welcome packs often include items such as sunglasses, water bottles, and drawstring bags, while winter packs might feature travel mugs, ice scrapers, gloves, or small torches. These seasonal touches help make the pack feel timely and considered.
For Christmas or anniversaries, branded hampers with festive treats are a popular option.
Why invest in a welcome pack?
A welcome pack is a simple but effective way to set the tone for a positive employee experience from day one. Done well, a welcome pack can:
- Reflect and reinforce your company culture
- Energise and improve your onboarding experience
- Help new starters feel valued and included immediately
- Reduce first-day nerves in a new environment
- Act as a natural icebreaker with colleagues
- Provide useful items that support day-to-day work
- You can also include any useful information to help new starters quickly get up to speed
Staff turnover is costly for employers, with research from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) highlighting the financial and cultural impact of poor retention. Creating a positive early experience is one of the simplest ways businesses can start building stronger employee relationships.
When should you give out the welcome pack?
There are many points at which you can introduce a gift pack for a new staff member. Common approaches include:
- Send ahead of their first day to show them that you are excited about them starting or surprise them with a gift pack on their first day at their desk.
- You could even wait a few weeks and after getting to know them, so as to gather items together that reflects their personality, interests and role.
Whichever approach you take, for it to be successful, the most successful welcome packs are thoughtful, useful, and aligned with your company culture.
What should be included in a new employee pack?
1. Key Information & HR Documents
Your welcome pack can help new starters find their feet quickly by including essential information such as:
- A personal welcome letter from the team
- Specific information about their role, including their job description and material about the team they will join
- An employee handbook
- HR forms e.g. employee contract, benefits, company policies
- Company values
- Agenda for their first day and month – what to expect
- Employee directory with contact details
- Health and safety details
- Office map with team names/parking instructions
- Log in details
- Local guide to cafes, restaurants, parks, gyms etc.
- The latest annual report or staff newsletter
2. Practical items
Useful desk and work essentials are always appreciated. Common inclusions are notebooks and pens, mugs or drinks bottles, ID badges and lanyards, desk accessories, and relevant IT accessories where appropriate.
3. Branded items
Branded merchandise helps reinforce belonging and pride from day one. This might include branded stationery, business cards, clothing, or other items that reflect your brand style and culture.
4. Personalised branded gifts
Personalisation adds an extra layer of impact to a welcome pack and helps new starters feel genuinely recognised from day one.
Personalised gifts featuring the recipient’s name are a popular choice, not just because they show extra thought and effort, but also because they help items feel unique to that individual within the office or workspace.
Common personalised additions include:
- Personalised drinks bottles
- Personalised travel mugs
- Personalised mugs
- T-shirt, hoodie or sweatshirt branded with the company logo and their name
- Personalised pens
- Personalised notebooks
These small details can make a welcome pack feel more considered and personal, rather than generic.
FAQs
What should be included in a welcome pack?
The new staff kit should contain both essential and feel-good items for your new member of staff. While this will differ per company, most packs should contain the employee handbook, welcome letter, branded company swag, and a sweet treat. Here are our favourite essentials:
- Employee handbook
- Welcome letter
- Branded coffee mug
- Branded t-shirt
- Branded hoodie
- Sweet treats (like cookies)
- Branded power bank
- Branded headphones
- Branded office suppliers
Having this many branded items will help your new employee feel they’re part of the team.
Anecdotal Example
As an example, a welcome pack for a younger or more casual team would be best including casual clothing like a t-shirt, as well as fun items like stickers and stress balls. Whereas a more formal pack for a corporate employee should include a branded coffee mug, luxury branded pen, branded notebook, and a personal message on high quality paper.
Can welcome packs be branded with our logo?
Yes, all of our welcome packs can be branded with your company logo and custom messaging, to ensure you create something that’s perfect for your staff. Contact the Steel City team today to discuss your options.
What’s the best way to welcome a new employee to the office?
Alongside a welcome pack, the best onboarding experience includes a relaxed introduction to the team, help setting up their workspace, clear expectations, and time to settle in.
Ready to Create Your Own Welcome Pack?
If you’d like help creating a bespoke welcome pack for new employees, our team would love to help.
You can browse our off-the-shelf gift packs for inspiration, or get in touch for guidance on creating a custom onboarding welcome pack tailored to your brand, needs, and budget.
You may also be interested in our related blog: Onboarding a New Employee
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