There’s a lot that goes into a new employee’s first week at your company. You may have a well-developed onboarding process, but have you considered adding swag as a new element?
The coolest hoodie or hottest water bottle can’t fix a broken onboarding process, but they can help to make a new employee feel a part of something new. Swag can make the whole experience more fun and welcoming.
Some companies aren’t sure how to fit branded gear into their onboarding program, but the answer is that it can really be integrated wherever you’d like. There’s not a bad time to give someone some swag.
Before we get into how to create the perfect employee welcome kit, let’s talk about why it’s such a great addition to your onboarding process.
Inspire Employee Engagement
Gifting something to a new hire that they can use on a daily basis will spark pride and engagement. A great, well-designed t-shirt, water bottle, or coffee mug, for example, can quickly become a new favorite item they use regularly, both in and outside the office. By welcoming employees with branded gear, you show them that you view them as an asset to your company. It is a visible reminder that you are investing in them, that you have committed something to them. It should trigger some reciprocation in commitment from your new hire.
Support Better Company Culture
Consider creating swag that is a direct representation of your brand including your company’s history and chosen values.
Promote a Welcoming Environment
Perhaps the biggest perk of employee welcome kits is they make new hires feel, well, welcome. During the first couple months in a new role, it’s not uncommon for employees to feel isolated, overwhelmed, or lost. Thoughtful swag can help combat their uncertainties and make them feel a part of the team. If your new hire is sporting the same gear as the rest of your employees then, naturally, they will feel more included and more comfortable.
Now, let’s talk about what goes into a new employee welcome kit. What you include is entirely up to you, but consider making them informative, practical, and fun.
Informative. What do you want your new employees to know from the onset of their journey with you? You can include keys to the building, information about parking, and a map of your office. This may sound boring, but it doesn’t have to be. Element Three, for example, turned their onboarding kit into a game for new hires.
Practical. These items can be used by the employees to help them learn their new job — items like notebooks, pens, or a work bag. Be thoughtful and develop swag that has a purpose in the employee’s ability to learn their role and integrate into the company.
Fun. These components in your kit aren’t vital per se to the new employee’s job, but it’s what your employees care about the most. Think t-shirts, coffee mugs, baseball hats, hoodies, phone chargers, stickers, etc. There isn’t really a right or wrong answer on these items, but getting input from your existing employees can be really helpful. These items are what connect your employees naturally to your brand. They can use these items in and outside of the office on a daily basis.
If we’ve convinced you to make swag a part of your onboarding process, get in touch with us to turn your ideas for a great onboarding kit into a reality.
