What to include in a pre-arrival employee welcome pack

The onboarding plan

A well-structured onboarding plan will help your new recruit feel settled into the organisation and decrease turnover rate in the long run. Be sure to document how you plan to offer new recruits relevant training and development opportunities even after they have completed the initial onboarding process. This will tell them that you’re invested in their success.

Logins and social media accounts

Let your new hires familiarise themselves with the daily job routines by giving them email, portal logins and social media access. This will help them establish connections and will give them a feel for the communication system of the business.

Team member profiles

It’s a nice touch to add staff profiles to your welcome pack. A photo, short message and personal interests or hobbies of each team member will help your recruit get to know their colleagues and give them some ice-breakers for their first day.

General Information

Help your new recruit get off to a flying start on their first day by providing them with some general information. A site map detailing where to find the café, parking spaces and offices will always be appreciated by the recruit—it’s easy to feel lost on your first day in a new role.  Let them know of the general dress code and what they might like to bring with them. This is also an opportunity to provide them with information about the benefits and perks they can take advantage of when they become part of the team.

Welcome gifts

Many organisations like to include a few free gifts to make a new hire’s first week a bit more special, and develop a loyal employee from day one. Practical items such as pens, a notepad or a USB stick are all great ideas to help with productivity, but you may also choose to include gifts that let your new recruit you’re thinking of their wellbeing too- such as a water bottle, headphones or free coffee vouchers for the on-site café.

Having spent the time and resources finding the right candidate through a graduate recruitment process, you need to make sure you initiate and maintain communication straight after the job is offered.  A welcome pack will let your new recruit know they are a valuable member of the team, help them feel connected, and will go a long way to ensuring their longevity at the business.