A new employee’s first day is always special. Not because they need a lot of paperwork, introductions, and policy sessions. But because it’s an opportunity to make them a part of the company, give them a sense of belonging and build partnerships.
This is why companies today offer welcome kits to their new employees. Unlike a generic gift, a welcome kit is a combo of multiple useful tools and gifts that people would actually use and enjoy.
One of the most powerful items in those welcome kits are personalised T-shirts, but what are the others? The real impact will come from combining custom t shirts with real useful, personal, and branded items.
According to research, only 12% strongly appreciate their company’s new hire onboarding. Another research says that effective on-boarding may increase retention by 82%. Now, the question is: what are those practical, useful items? In this blog, we will discuss the best ones.
Personalized T-Shirts
Personalized T-shirts are T-shirts customised with names, logos, images, text, messages, or other designs according to individual or business requirements.
Personalised T-Shirt: The Hero Product:
Personalised t shirts will always be the hero products. It's personal, looks cool, and people can use it in multiple places – in offices, during travel, and casual meetups. But here is what to note.
Always look for well-designed t-shirts, but keep it minimal. Use a small logo with a cleaner design.
Moreover, you can add an employee’s name, team, brand logo, and a small brand message. However, ensure that it genuinely looks attractive and feels comfortable. Your goal should be that employees wear it lovingly.
While searching for a personalised T-shirt printing provider, choose:
- Comfortable cotton or cotton-blend fabric
- A colour that matches the brand identity
- Durable printing or embroidery
Remember, a good T-shirt should feel fashionable, not promotional.
Personalised Employee ID Card or Badge
Add an employee ID card or branded badge to make the kit feel official.
You can include the employee's:
For remote employees, you can send them a digital ID card and welcome card. Such small items can help you greet your employees properly and make them feel welcome.
Branded Notebook or Planner:
One of the most loved items in a welcome kit is a notebook or planner. The demand for planners has grown in recent years because people want some time without their phones.
New hires can use them to remember names, passwords, processes, meetings, goals, and responsibilities, different teams, and clients.
Moreover, you can make it personal by printing their names or adding a welcome message on the first page.
Premium Pen
Next, pair the notebook with a good pen. It may sound old-fashioned, but pens are highly useful and work perfectly as a combo with a notebook.
According to a study, 55% of consumers keep branded merchandise only because are useful.
(PPAI)
So, always choose products that your employees will actually use.
Customized Water Bottles
Customized water bottles are reusable bottles designed with a company logo, employee name, message, or other personalised branding elements in different materials, sizes, colours, and styles.
Personalised Water Bottle:
A reusable customised water bottle is another strong welcome kit product. Not only does it perfectly match the personalised t shirts but it also carries strong value in daily usefulness.
But ensure that you add a logo, employee name, or a simple motivational message on the water bottle.
However, customised water bottles offer more. They are great for improving employee wellness. With bottles at their desks, employees generally drink more water.
According to research, 73% of consumers find water bottles useful and use them daily.
Laptop Sleeve or Tech Pouch:
If you run a technology-led workspace, you need to give tech related items to your employees. Give them a laptop sleeve, cable organiser, or compact tech pouch. Notably, this is especially useful for employees who follow a hybrid work model or work remotely.
For a premium kit, include the following:
Note: you don’t need all of them. Choose 1 or 2 accordingly.
Custom Laptop Bags
Custom laptop bags are laptop-carrying bags designed with personalised logos, names, colours, designs, or branding elements to match a company's or individual's requirements.
Coffee Mug or Tumbler:
A coffee mug often gives personality to your welcome kit. For best impact, add a message, inside joke, company tagline, employee’s name, or simple illustration designs. However, choose wisely.
- For office employees: a ceramic mug
- For employees who travel a lot: a thermal tumbler
Your goal should be to make the coffee mug more personal and useful.
Welcome Letter from the Team
This may be the most important item in the entire box and it costs very little.
Write a short welcome message from the founder, HR team, manager, or immediate team.
Tell the employee:
- What the company expects from them
- What they can expect from the team.
- Who they can approach for help.
- What makes the company culture special.
A welcome note turns your welcome kit into an experience.
Snacks or Local Treats
Want to make the kit feel warmer? Add some snacks. You can choose chocolates, cookies, coffee, tea, dry fruits, or something local.
Local treats make the welcome kit even more interesting.
A Small Culture Card:
Finally, add a one-page ‘WHO WE ARE’ card to the welcome kit.
However, don’t fill it with corporate jargon. This card would explain your values, beliefs, and how you want them to feel on their first day.
We value:
Curiosity. Ownership. Teamwork. Learning.
We believe:
Good ideas can come from anyone.
Our first rule:
Ask questions. It’s your first day.
How to Build the Perfect Welcome Kit?
You don't need 15 different products to impress a new employee.
A strong kit can contain 6–8 carefully selected items such as:
Personalised T-shirt + Water Bottle + Notebook + Premium Pen + Tech Pouch + Welcome Letter + Snacks + Culture Card
The key here is quality, usefulness, & personalisation.
Give your HR and marketing teams a simple idea: don't give employees more stuff. Give them better stuff.
Customized Backpacks
Customized backpacks are bags personalized with company logos, names, designs, or other branding elements through printing, embroidery, patches, or similar methods.
How Can Mercheck Help With Employee Welcome Kits?
Mercheck provides customised products for employee welcome kits, including personalised T-shirts, water bottles, backpacks, laptop bags, notebooks, badges, and other corporate merchandise. Businesses can customize products according to their brand identity, employee requirements, and budget.
Conclusion:
A personalised T-shirt printing is probably the best onboarding gift, but it needs partners as well. The rest of your welcome kit should also be useful, practical, and give a feeling of being welcomed. But other items also share a valuable feeling.
The notebook or planner supports productivity, customised water bottles improve your wellness and the tech gifts support work. Moreover, a welcome letter creates a connection that employees seek on their first day. Together, they make your new hire's first day memorable for life.
Want to explore professional welcome kits and personalized t shirt printing for your team? Connect with Mercheck gifting experts today.
