How you welcome new employees into your company has the potential to make or break your business.
Too dramatic? We don’t think so! Consider these statistics about the impact of employee onboarding:
- According to Society for Human Resource Management, a great onboarding experience can help ensure that nearly 70% of employees stay with a company for three years
- Yet… “half of all hourly workers leave new jobs in the first four months, and half of senior outside hires fail within 18 months.”
- … and on average, it can cost 16% to 20% to replace an employee’s salary, according to Finance Online.
One of the core differences between an employee leaving within four months and staying for three years or more? Effective onboarding.
In our experience as a leading print marketing company, we’ve seen that one of the most
attractive ways to kick off your employee onboarding is with a new employee welcome kit.
Today we’re diving into how this kind of onboarding builds company culture, what to include in your employee swag box, and how swag boxes can help recruit new team members.
Why Are Employee Swag Boxes An Important Part Of Building Company Culture
Every company’s employee onboarding process differs, but at their heart, they are all about bringing a new hire into the company’s culture.
One of the most delightful ways to get that process started is with a new employee welcome kit.
Our Maryland partners have reported back that these kits are always well-received by their staff, especially when they contain custom-designed swag. These are just a few of the reasons how they work to build a company’s culture:
- Boosts Employee Morale – New employee welcome kits are a great way to show your employees that you value and appreciate them. By providing them with branded items like t-shirts, water bottles, or other goodies, you help them feel more connected to your company from day one.
- Fosters a Sense of Belonging – When employees receive swag boxes, it creates a sense of community and belonging. It’s a tangible way to show that they are part of the team and that their contributions are valued. While a mug or a hat can seem like a small gesture, this can lead to increased engagement and a stronger commitment to the company’s mission and goals.
- Increases Brand Awareness – Employee swag boxes with custom packaging design can also help increase brand awareness. When employees use or wear these items outside of work, they act as walking advertisements for your company. They can also share the swag on social media, which can help to generate buzz and attract new customers or talent (more on this in a minute!).
What To Include In Your New Employee Welcome Kit
Choosing what to include in the new employee welcome kit should be a fun process. Though there may be some logistical components (we see you, company handbook), they are also a chance to embrace the custom swag design and get in on the fun.
Here are some ideas based on what our local business partners have done lately. Mix and match to come up with your own ideal swag box for new employees!
- Company Information – We’ll get the HR fun out of the way first. Include a company handbook or brochure that outlines your company’s mission, values, and culture. This will help your new employees better understand your company, as well as what is expected of them.
- Employee Benefits Information – Providing information on benefits such as health insurance, retirement plans, and vacation time helps your new hires understand the full range of benefits available to them.
- Office Supplies – Including a few branded stationery items, pens, and a water bottle can help new employees feel prepared and organized on their first day.
- Custom-Designed Company Swag – To welcome your new hires into the company, include company-branded items such as t-shirts, hats, or other items that employees can wear or use outside of work.
- Tech – Providing new employees with any necessary equipment – whether that’s a phone or computer or even just a USB with useful information – will help them feel prepared to do their job effectively.
- Snacks – Consider including a delicacy that’s local to the area, especially if you regularly have hires that come from out of town.
- Personalized Note – Including a signed note from the hiring manager or senior staff is always a nice surprise to make the new employee welcome kit feel more unique.
How Making Your Onboarding Experience Shareable Can Help Recruit Employees
As we mentioned above, new employee welcome kits serve two purposes.
First and foremost, it’s to make your new hires feel comfortable and to set them up for success at the company.
An additional benefit, though, is that the custom packaging design can improve your company’s recruiting.
Leverage Social Media
Social media platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram are great tools for reaching a wider audience. Yet it can be difficult for companies to get the same level of reach or awareness as an individual.
Since people tend to share more of what they find interesting or aesthetically pleasing, having a branded custom swag design can only help to encourage their posting.
Organic Recruiting Through Your Employees and New Hires
Having custom packaging design for your new employee welcome kits can be a great way to reach potential recruits through the networks of friends and colleagues they already know.
When employees share their experiences on social media, it can reach a wider audience and attract candidates who may not have found your company through traditional recruitment methods.
Supercharge Your Career Fairs and Networking Events
Combine social media and in-person success by taking your employee swag boxes with you to career fairs and networking events.
From offering versions of these employee welcome kits as giveaways to potential recruits (you may not need to offer them the employee handbook right away!) to showing up in the social media posts from the event organizers, this can help to create buzz and generate interest in your company.
Work With Full Sail Media To Design Your Next Employee Swag Box
An employee swag box is an effective, entertaining way to welcome new hires to your team and to create a successful onboarding experience.
Looking to design a memorable and personalized new employee welcome kit for your company? Let Full Sail Media help.
With our expertise in branding, we can help you create a welcome kit that reflects your company’s values and culture – all with a healthy dash of fun along the way! Contact us today to get started.
