Real talk - hiring a new employee is a significant investment! The average company spends $30,000-$45,000 per employee on recruiting and training activities.

Surprised? The cost of attrition (losing employees) is even higher. The Society of HR Management (SHRM) reports that when employees leave, the cost to replace them equals 6-9 months of their salary. WHOA. For HR, People, and Culture teams, investing in employees starts way before their first day. From clearly defining roles, to aligning hiring expectations across teams, to attracting, recruiting, and hiring new talent, these teams work tirelessly to champion their companies and support employees. 

A pivotal component of their efforts is the onboarding process. When new hires feel welcomed, valued, and invested in the company's success, they will likely stay with it long-term. One way to make a lasting impact with your newest team members is by offering gifts to help them settle in and feel like part of the team! In this blog post, we'll explore the strategic benefits of an effective onboarding process, and the value of new hire welcome kits and onboarding swag.

Why is the Onboarding Process Important?

The onboarding process is critical to welcoming new employees to your organization because it sets the tone for their employment experience and can impact their decision to stay with the company long-term. It's a time to set expectations, establish goals, and build relationships. 

Additionally, a well-executed onboarding plan can positively impact an employee's motivation during their first 90 days with the team! In addition to helping them feel welcome and supported, effective onboarding keeps new employees engaged throughout their training period. This is a win-win for new team members and companies: a Gallup poll found that organizations with highly-engaged employees experience 21% higher profitability. 

Finally, a well-structured onboarding process helps integrate your newest team members with the company culture. Personal touches, like a welcome gift or piece of company swag, are important components of the process that speak volumes about your company's approach to community. 

🎁 Don't be *that* team: Check out our Best Welcome Gifts For New Hires

Custom Swag is an Important Part of Onboarding

What is onboarding swag? These custom items, often called employee welcome kits or onboarding kits, are a curated collection of branded items given to new employees during their onboarding process. These items range from eco-friendly water bottles to personalized coffee mugs, tote bags, and high-quality promotional products.

Why are new hire gifts important? The goal of onboarding gifts is to create a personalized touch that helps new employees feel welcome and part of the team. It's essential to make new hires feel valued and appreciated immediately. Including a personal touch in the form of onboarding swag can help create a memorable and positive onboarding experience.

Onboarding swag can also be a powerful tool for reinforcing company culture. By including items that align with the company's mission and values, new employees can understand what the company stands the impact of their contributions. This can help them feel more connected and invested in the organization's success.

 Onboarding Hybrid and Remote Employees

In the current business environment, more and more companies are adopting a hybrid work model or allowing employees to work remotely. As a result, onboarding processes must adapt to support employees regardless of where they work.

Custom swag is vital in supporting hybrid and remote employees during their onboarding experience, so think carefully about the items that might be most useful to them! For example, an eco-friendly water bottle with your logo might echo your company's sustainable practice and be an excellent reminder to hydrate during the workday! Other WFH and hybrid options include personalized coffee mugs, cozy socks, custom tech (like earbuds and charging pads), or tote bags for transporting work equipment. These items can all be used at home and are small tokens of thoughtfulness that can help employees feel more connected to the company culture.

Whether employees are in-office, hybrid, or remote, onboarding swag should include items that align with company values, reinforce the company culture, and create a positive first impression.

 👀 Read more: Best gifts for hybrid and remote employees

Onboarding Gifts For New Hires

When designing your employee onboarding kit, keeping your audience in mind is essential. Consider what items will resonate with your new hires and what will make them feel welcome and part of the team.

Here are some tips to help you build the best employee onboarding kit:

Keep it simple: Don't overwhelm new hires with too much swag. Focus on a few high-quality items that will make a lasting impact.

You can start with the essentials: Include functional items, such as an eco-friendly water bottle, notepad, or pen. These items will be helpful to the new hire and reinforce your brand.

Personalize the experience: Consider including items specific to the new employee, like a custom journal for jotting down notes or a personalized coffee mug.

Promote your company culture: Include items that align with your organization's values and culture, such as a company-branded t-shirt or a book that speaks to your mission. This can help new employees understand your company's values and ethos.

Provide valuable resources: Include an employee handbook, company policy documents, and other essential resources to help new hires get up to speed quickly.

Ensure the onboarding process is inclusive: Consider whether your onboarding swag kit includes all employees. Examples of this involve offering a range of apparel sizing, insert cards and packaging in different languages, or ensuring any food you include is allergen-free.

Support remote employees: If you have remote employees, consider providing swag to help them feel more connected to the company culture. This can include items such as a branded coffee mug, tote bag, or high-quality promotional products they can use at home.

By following these tips, you can create an employee onboarding kit that helps new hires feel welcomed and supported, no matter where they work.

🙌 Employee engagement past day 90: our top tip!

Conclusion

Successful onboarding is critical to new hires' and your organization's long-term success. Onboarding swag, like employee welcome kits or onboarding kits, can be a powerful tool for creating a memorable first week that also helps support the overall onboarding experience. By including personalized and branded items that align with your organization's values and culture, you can help new employees feel welcome, valued, and invested in the company's success.

Custom swag also supports remote and hybrid employees during their onboarding experience. Functional items like eco-friendly water bottles, personalized coffee mugs, tote bags, and other high-quality promotional products can help remote employees feel more connected to the company culture.

Incorporating these tips when designing your employee onboarding kit can help create an inclusive, personalized, and positive onboarding experience for your new hires. Remember to keep your audience in mind, reinforce your company culture, and provide essential resources to set your new employees up for success in their first 90 days.

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FAQs

What should be included in an employee onboarding kit?

An employee onboarding kit should include functional items such as an eco-friendly water bottle, personalized coffee mug, tote bag, and high-quality promotional products that align with the company culture and values.

How much should I budget for employee onboarding kits?

The budget for employee onboarding kits will depend on the size of your organization, the number of new hires, and the items included in the kit. Still, it can range from $50 to $200 per kit.

How can I customize employee onboarding kits for different roles or departments?

You can customize employee onboarding kits for different roles or departments by including items that are specific to that role or department and align with the company culture and values.

What are the benefits of providing employee onboarding kits?

Providing employee onboarding kits can help new hires feel welcomed, valued, and invested in the company's success and can also reinforce the company's culture and values.

How can I distribute employee onboarding kits to remote or hybrid employees?

You can distribute employee onboarding kits to remote or hybrid employees by shipping the kit to their home addresses or providing a digital version of the kit that includes links to relevant resources and swag items that can be used at home.