Building Better Employee Onboarding Kits

Companies that invest in strategic employee onboarding will experience increased engagement levels, decreased turnover, and faster introduction to proficiency speeds. That’s why these processes are becoming a priority for organizations across industries!

First impressions are long-lasting! Businesses cannot afford to fail to express company culture or standardize onboarding processes. Especially when if done well, Glassdoor research suggests, employee onboarding will improve retention by 82% and productivity by over 70%. One of the most important parts of that success is ensuring new hires feel valued by and welcomed to your organization from the get-go.

Employee onboarding kits, or welcome kits, are tools to join employees in a team by expressing who you are as a company in a useful and informative, but also personal, way. In doing so, these kits encourage a company culture of excellence that motivates employees to work hard. We believe that the workplace is like a relationship; if your organization makes employees feel valued, they will value your organization. Supporting your team is essential to achieving high-quality work from employees who will stay long-term.

 

What do you put in an onboarding kit? 

This is the fun part! Onboarding kits should be indicative of your workplace environment. If you’re a fun tech-obsessed company, throw in some pun-tastic laptop stickers. If you’re a fast-paced organization, how about a monogrammed planner? At the end of the day, these promotional products filled kits can be as wild or simple as best fits your brand, but they should follow three key principles:

1. Be informative
2. Be brand-specific
3. Be personal

Here are a few of our favourite essential items:

1. Employee handbook and a customized office map
2. Branded shirt or sweater
3. Customized coffee mug
4. Company pens
5. Hand sanitizer
6. New business cards
7. A welcome letter from the team!

 

Onboarding kits are worth your investment.

The first few days at a new job are full of uneasiness and uncertainty. Remember your first day… you came out of the big corporate elevator to a bright office space and were welcomed at the front desk. Your manager greeted you, introduced you to the team, and showed you to where you’d be working. On your desk was an access card and a laptop, and suddenly you were all alone wondering why you didn’t feel like part of the team. You didn’t know where the restroom was, who to sit with at lunch, or even how your team engaged with one another. This lack of guidance and disheartened feeling is a nearly universal experience that sadly reflects the historical neglect of employee-workplace relationships.

One of the best parts about a proper onboarding process is that it sparks employee engagement and advocacy. Onboarding kits are your chance to destress and welcome employees as fast as possible, and in doing so, inspire a sense of belonging. Such encourages your new hires to be lifelong brand champions.

When people wear branded attire or use company products, it is because they support that organization. Consequently, part of your team’s goal must always be to create brand champions out of your employees. These are the individuals who can best promote and improve your company, not just at work, but outside of work. As a result, in the long term, developing a culture where employees feel valued is not only the best way to advertise to prospective customers but also to the talent force. Brand champions are the best form of promotional marketing! So, while an onboarding kit is not a replacement for an amazing team or good company culture, they are certainly a factor in the development of such.

A welcome kit is the best investment in the future of your employees, and the key to unlocking increased engagement and productivity. By investing in your employees’ happiness, you’re securing the future of your business.

 

Sample onboarding kit concepts.

Onboarding kits should not just be a compilation of the top promotional product trends, but it can be hard to start planning them. Here are two concept ideas we like:

Centred on the concept of growth: A new position is nothing, if not a chance to grow. If you are looking to encourage this message, we suggest incorporating a branded flower pot with a symbolic plant inside (say, a Money Tree for an accountant). Not only is it a lovely addition for their desk, but it sends the message that you intend to nurture their success and encourage development.

People-focussed: One of the most important factors to loving your job is the people you work with. That’s why we think onboarding kits should always include a personalized letter. What would make it even more special, is if team members all included a welcome message for the first day or a card full of messages at the end of the first week. Remember, onboarding is not a one-day process!

 

If you’re interested in improving your onboarding process with welcome kits, we’d love to help you out! Get in contact by scheduling a call today.

P.S. If you’re considering ways to speed up your onboarding process, read this blog on online company stores: The Future of Marketing.