How to create the perfect welcome pack

Put yourself in the shoes of a new employee. After all those “informal chats”, sit-down interviews and presentations, that first day in a new job has finally arrived. And waiting for you on your desk is a new starter pack. It’s a big moment. And it’s an increasingly common scene in offices everywhere. An essential part of the onboarding process, even. But why are welcome packs so important – and what should you put in them? Let’s find out…

Why bother?

Starting a new job can be scary. So anything you can do to make someone feel like part of the team is 100% worth it. And there are two elements to a welcome pack. One is all the practical onboarding stuff: what the WiFi password is, who to contact at HR, all that useful info. The other is the “welcome” part of the pack, which could be a gift or a handwritten note – but it’s also the whole vibe. How the pack looks, the design, the quality of the paper… anything that helps create a great first impression.

And consider the stats. 79% of employees agree that onboarding programs help them understand the company culture, and make them feel part of it. Yet only 12% of US organisations even have an onboarding program. So a welcome pack is a great first step in setting up such an initiative. 

What to put in it

Not everyone has the budget to gift every employee a big box full of fancy gifts. And that’s not really what a welcome pack should be about. Instead keep it focused, relevant, useful and thoughtful. Here are just a few things you could try…

Business Cards

Yeah, we would say this. But nothing says “you’re an official part of the team” like a crisp deck of cards with your name on them. 

Notecards

This one’s about adding a personal touch. Doesn’t need to be anything complicated, and you don’t need to write a novel. Just a quick, hand-written “welcome aboard” type message. 

Cheat sheet

Not everyone remembers the tech induction, so you might want to include a one-pager of all the important stuff. Also, where to get the best coffee. 

Brand guide

You might already have one of these as a PDF somewhere. But printed out on a nice set of Postcards? They’re much more likely to read through it all. 

Branded merchandise

We said no fancy gifts, but fancy branded gifts? That’s different. Especially when they’re useful and beautifully designed. Check out our custom Water Bottle for starters. 

Also consider…

When it comes to the design of your pack, the trick is to keep everything consistent and unmistakably on-brand. Stickers can help you here, transforming a plain box into something special. It’s about making everything feel like it belongs together, rather than a random collection of things. 

Our custom products are also made with this in mind. So whether it’s the MOO Water Bottle, Notebook or Planner, they all share a design language that makes them feel like part of a team themselves. Then just add your logo or consider telling a story across the different products.

And if you need more help…

The easiest way to put together an onboarding pack is with a MOO business plan. Our in-house team will help you build one from scratch, designing all the print and branded products for you. Then you can focus on the in-person welcome, new starter lunch and all that good stuff. Just leave the rest to us.