Onboarding made easy: 16 things to include in a new employee welcome packet

The onboarding process is a critical first step in the journey of a new hire within your organization. It sets the tone for their experience and future with the company. 

According to research published by SHRM, 20% of employee turnover happens within the first 60 days of employment. We won't argue that a great welcome packet is an incredibly important part of a new employee's experience with their new organization, but a thoughtfully curated, well-prepared onboarding packet will answer crucial questions a new employee has about their position and their company, and offer calming insight about the training and onboarding expectations. That way, new employees always knows what to expect, how to prepare, and what to think about as they get up-to-speed in their new position.

A well-crafted onboarding packet contains information that not only introduces them to your company culture and makes them feel part of the team, but also eliminates any surprises they might encounter as they begin their position. It also ensures they get paid accurately and on-time from the beginning, avoiding a crucial payroll mishap that may leave a new hire questioning if they should have joined your organization in the first place.

Below are 16 elements you should consider including in your standard new-hire onboarding/welcome packet. Remember, every company is unique, and your onboarding packet should reflect what makes sense for your organization. 

The welcome letter is the new hire's formal welcome to the team. It should detail the job title, salary, start date, work schedule, reporting structure, and any other relevant employment conditions. It should include most of the information included on any offer letter that was sent previously. 

Personalizing this letter can significantly enhance the new hire's initial impression of the company, including their new teammates. It’s also beneficial to entail a brief statement about company culture, mission, and values to align expectations from the outset.

A comprehensive job description is crucial. It should go beyond just listing duties and responsibilities; it needs to communicate the role’s purpose, how it contributes to larger company goals, and potential growth opportunities.

It’s also helpful to outline the key stakeholders or departments they will be interacting with, giving a sense of the role’s place within the organizational ecosystem. It may seem simple, but having access to their job description allows new hires to focus their training and orientation process on the systems and processes that are most vital to the team.

The welcome kit should make new hires feel valued and excited about joining the team. Include company-branded items like apparel, a notebook, or a water bottle. Adding personal touches, such as a handwritten welcome card from the team or management can make it a more meaningful gift. 

Many new hires feel anxious about the unknowns as they begin at a new organization. Forbes reports that these "new job jitters" affect 87% of people starting a new job.

A training schedule can help calm some of the nervousness about the unknown. It should be detailed and structured, covering all necessary training sessions and introductions, and include a clear timeline with specific goals for each phase of the training. Clearly communicate what is expected of the new hire at each 30, 60, and 90-day milestone. This clarity helps manage expectations and provides a sense of direction.

Presentation of the company org chart helps new hires understand the company's hierarchy and team structures. Make it interactive or visual, and ensure it’s up-to-date. This tool is crucial for helping them identify key contacts and understand reporting relationships. It also can help the new employee put names and faces to different departments, helping connect some of the big-picture dots in the organization.

When a new member joins your team, it's important to give their peers, managers, and direct reports information about who they are, things they care about, and how they prefer to be recognized and appreciated.

Simply create a simple questionnaire for new employees that they fill out and send to their team, or explore platforms and software tools that will help you store and display that information in a central location for all company employees. At Axios HR, we get to know our coworkers through the Become Unmistakable uMap™ tool, which allows us to identify our favorite treats, ways to be recognized/celebrated, important people, and big professional and personal goals that we are chasing.

It may seem silly to have a new-hire spend time on their first day thinking of their favorite candy, beverage, team, restaurant, or movie, but giving their coworkers that information goes a long way to help develop strong team bonds and trust together.

The organization's employee handbook is one of the most critical things you can present to a new-employee on their first day. This gives them the opportunity to reference something official when they have questions about company policies throughout their first few weeks.

When you present them with their handbook, make sure to note anything in the handbook that would seem noteworthy or any unexpected policies that are unique to your company.

 

Consider including a map of your new hire's office building and any other buildings that they will be working from.

Provide a detailed map of the workspace, highlighting essential areas like restrooms, meeting rooms, emergency exits, and safety equipment like fire extinguishers. Accompany this with essential safety protocols and emergency contact numbers. This information is crucial for safety and helps new hires navigate their new work environment confidently.

Also, many cities and towns have police officers assigned to different areas, office parks, or even individual buildings, if you have that information, share it here!

These legal documents vary depending on the company, but including your organization's relevant non-compete, non-disclosure agreement, and any other relevant legal documents is an important thing to present on a new employee's first day.

Ensuring a smooth technological transition is crucial for productivity. Provide a comprehensive guide to all necessary technology and platforms, including login credentials, email setup, software access, and Wi-Fi connection details. Include contact information for the IT support team for any troubleshooting needs.

If there is a system for booking conference rooms, include that as well, along with any information or guides on using technology in shared-spaces like lobbies or conference rooms.

Most companies that sell a product or service have one-page information sheets or flyers about their offering. Consider including those in an onboarding packet to help your new employees get a more clear picture of what the company does, and the language they are using to present it.

Don't overwhelm a new employee with a big, thick stack of papers, but any simple, high-level documents about the company's products or services can really help clarify some things for a new employee.

Provide clear instructions for completing these mandatory forms. Explain their importance for employment eligibility and tax withholding.  If the new employee spent a lot of time at their previous employer, they may not have filled out these forms in years, and they may have changed slightly since they have seen them last.

Consider using a short video or a graphical guide to simplify the process. Also, ensure that the new employee knows who to contact if they have any questions regarding these forms.

Different states have different tax processes, forms, and systems. 

Guide new hires through your state-specific tax forms. Offer resources or contacts in the finance or HR department for personalized help, ensuring they understand the implications of their tax choices and have all the information they need.

Squaring away new employee direct deposit and payroll information can get everyone started off on the right foot.

Outline the steps for setting up direct deposit. Emphasize the benefits of this method, such as convenience and security, and ensure the process is straightforward. Make sure they know who to contact with any questions or issues.

Provide a comprehensive overview of all available benefits, what they would cost, and the process of changing them down the road if necessary. Use comparison charts and summaries to help new hires make informed decisions. 

Understanding and selecting benefits is often one of the most complicated parts of the onboarding process for new employees. Consider supplementing this information by scheduling a 1-on-1 session with an HR professional who can help walk new employees through the benefits process.

Make sure you collect the information of 2-3 people that the company can use as emergency contacts for the new employee. Stress the importance of providing this information for their safety and well-being. Make the process easy and respect their privacy.

Remember, you may not need to include all of these documents, guides, and information in your company's onboarding process, and their might be some information crucial to your company that we haven't even mentioned here. Onboarding should be a process that continues to evolve and change based on the needs and feedback of your employees throughout the process.

Don't forget to include prompts for onboarding feedback in employee surveys, take things out of the packet that have become irrelevant, and add things that could fix some of the issues employees are mentioning on their surveys.