During this period they are calling the "Great Resignation," it's harder than ever to recruit new employees. Making sure you retain these new team members starts with making a great first impression when welcoming them to the company.

Can you welcome new employees with more than just a handshake and a signed offer letter? Sending out some branded apparel before their first day on the job can help new recruits feel like they made the right choice in an employer. It may even cause them to start showing off their swag to family and friends, which can spread your employer brand.

A 2020 survey by PromoLeaf of 1,005 freshly-hired remote workers found that 91 percent of new employees who received promotional products felt effectively welcomed. The most popular items given were apparel, water bottles, notebooks, pens and coffee mugs.

For a distributed workforce, an employee welcome kit sent through the mail may even be more important than someone new reporting to headquarters. A branded kit can help them feel like part of the team from anywhere. Combine a few useful branded items with a welcome letter from the company CEO.

Beyond company swag, a new employee should be provided with a printed packet of all the information they might need or law requires them to receive including:

• Benefits information - insurance, PTO, retirement funds, etc.
• Wellness, flex spending and employee assistance programs
• Confidentiality agreement
• Employee handbook or code of conduct guide
• Tax and direct deposit forms
• Company mission and values
• Frequently asked questions
• Building map and company org chart

Placing all these items together in a folder or binder can help keep everything organized for easy reference. Creating these "kits" ahead of time can ease the burden for an employee's first day for their manager or the HR representative in charge of onboarding.

A handwritten note welcoming a new employee can go a long way too, either from their direct manager or their new teammates. So consider a personal message as part of the package if you can.

Want to give your new team members a memorable first day? Reach out to us for help designing a new employee welcome package that's all your own. Pairing informative printed items with fun promotional products will showcase both the serious and fun sides of your business. In a competitive market, it's the little things that can make your company stand out!

Need more ideas? Check out our best practices for employee onboarding or marketing ideas for recruitment.