Welcoming new hires on the first day of the job, often referred to as the “onboarding process”, is a crucial step to create a good first impression. It is becoming increasingly important, which is often described as a “magic moment” when new employees decide whether to stay engaged or become disengaged with the company culture. It offers an imprinting window when employers can create an impression that may stay with new employees for the duration of their career.
Studies show that during the first couple of months, new employees are still contemplating whether they fit in within the team, which is called “belonging uncertainty”. This would mean that new hires who experienced a poor onboarding experience may assume that the organisation is poorly managed and that it was a bad decision to take the job. This is particularly true for millenials, who are more likely than any previous generations to bolt if they don’t feel like they fit in the company.
As such, an employee’s first day should be dedicated to help them find their place within the team and company culture, which can be done by preparing a comprehensive employee welcome kit. However, many companies might not know what creates good employee welcome kits. Some suggest they are just made up of branded office supplies that are needed for the day-to-day task, while oftentimes these supplies alone are insufficient.
In order to help our readers create a great customised employee kit, we will start by outlining the benefits of the employee onboarding kit.
Benefits of the Employee Onboarding Kit
Employee welcome kits are a crucial part of the onboarding process, hence its importance must not be ignored. They act as a resource and aid for new employees to have a better understanding of the culture, and it helps to build the foundation of their relationship with the company.
Some of the most prominent benefits of handling employee welcome kits are:
- Help your new hires to feel welcome: As many have experienced, it is truly challenging to start a new job, at a new company, without knowing any single person within it. Having a welcome kit helps to make them feel comfortable and blend into the company culture, as well as helping them to perform their tasks and understand the company better.
- Increase employee engagement: One of the perks of a well-crafted employee onboarding kits is that it sparks employee pride, engagement, and advocacy. People tend to wear branded merchandise goods, such as a T-shirt, hoodie, or water bottles, from companies they support or align with. Giving your employees new gear will inspire them to proudly wear them and endorse the company, even outside of the office.
- Promote company culture: An onboarding kit is also an excellent way to tell your new hires what your company is all about. It helps them to truly understand who your company is and what their experience here will be like. A well-crafted new hire kit should incorporate clever ways of welcoming new employees, thus giving them a glimpse of the company’s values and cultures.
A Checklist to Prepare a New Employee Welcome Kit
Now that you have understood the benefits of the kit, we will list down the things that you should include to create your own custom welcome kit. It should comprise all three of these following categories:
- The Informative Kits: This is your baseline information kit that new hires need to know. It might include a map of the office, key to enter the building, information about employee perks and benefits, and so on. This could help them learn the important things about their new surroundings.
- The Practical Kits: These are the items that will help your employees perform their jobs, such as a laptop, stylus, notebook, flash drive, and so on. While this might be expensive, it does show that you are fully invested in their growth, which makes them feel valued and comfortable.
- The Fun Stuff: These are the unexpected things that get them excited about their new job. It helps them to understand that their employers are seeing them as a human being, instead of just another new employee. It could consist of things like apparel goods (t-shirt, sweater, hoodie), water bottle, stickers, or a coffee mug.
In many ways, it’s an employee’s market and your company needs to have a well-thought onboarding structure. Be sure to use these tips to create the perfect new hire onboarding kits for your next onboarding processes. Promote It has an entire range of high-quality goods that can be customised to suit your onboarding needs, such as jackets, compendium, or stationery kits. Contact us today on 09 917 1333 or admin@promote.net.nz to discuss your promotional product needs.
