The data below represents the importance of employee onboarding.
Boosts Employee Engagement
Onboarding gifts not only make employees feel welcomed, but they also impact the initiation of their engagement with the company.
The feeling of being valued from their first day encourages the new joiners to become more engaged.
They feel connected to the company, get to engage with their work more deeply, build stronger relationships with colleagues, as well as embrace the culture of the company.
Reduces Early Turnover
This one might surprise you – the first 45 days of employment witness up to 20% of the entire staff turnover rate.
These statistics reveal that the introductory nature of the onboarding phase, which leads to early turnover, is incredibly costly.
Resources spent on recruiting and training newcomers who leave before starting their positions represent a major loss.
Best Types of Impactful Gifts
Your organizational gifts should be considerate and practical, and align with your company’s cultural values.
On the other hand, inexpensive promotional products tend to feel impersonal and disappointing.
Considering this fact, you can consider branded gift options such as premium water bottles or travel mugs, high-quality backpacks, or messenger bags.
Comfortable, stylish company apparel or a tech present selection includes wireless chargers and portable power banks, which can also be great choices.
Technology and Tools
Technology gifts are both practical and well-regarded in today’s digital workplace environment; consequently, you can consider some of the ideas, including:
Noise-cancelling headphones that will assist them in focusing
Ergonomic accessories like keyboard wrist rests.
Smart notebooks or tablet accessories for more enhancement in their projects.
Portable Bluetooth speakers to reduce reliance on personal devices.
When new employees receive such presents, they become more efficient and settle into their new role with greater ease.
Personalized Welcome Kits
You can make the new employees feel that their arrival means something to you with personalized welcome kits as a thoughtful gesture, such as:
You can include a welcome message written by the CEO or team leader in the package.
Or, maybe a local treat or coffee from nearby shops, or something they like.
It would be best if the welcome kits contain items that match the new joiners’ interests and hobbies.
Or, you can go with the resources that are specific to their role or department.
Only 29% of new hires feel completely prepared and fully supported to be successful in their new positions.
Therefore, these role-specific gifts would help enhance their self-confidence and preparedness.
Choosing the Right Gifts
Picking up an ideal onboarding gift can indeed be confusing, as it requires careful consideration and strategic planning.
And to assist you in this, this guide will show you how to ensure the presents you give meet the mark.
Consider Your Company Culture
The gifts offered to new employees during onboarding should reflect and reinforce your organizational culture.
If your workplace embodies a fun and informal spirit, then playful items could make for a fitting welcoming present.
Ask yourself:
What are our core values?
What statement should we convey to new employees through our actions?
Our gifts should demonstrate what makes our company unique.
Do You Know? The onboarding process was established in the 1970s.
Set a Reasonable Budget
Effective onboarding gifts do not require excessive spending, you can simply consider a thoughtful one.
HR spending for new employees ranges from $7,500 to $28,000, so thoughtfully designed presents become a smart use of resources.
Consider these budget tiers:
Quality branded items, alongside gift cards and a welcome lunch, fall within the entry-level budget category of $25-50.
The premium option offers top-tier tech tools and personalized present packages for $150 and above.
The majority of employees (56%) require just one or two days to adjust to their new role, so delivering gifts during this period ensures they get maximum impact.
Common Onboarding Gift Mistakes to Avoid
Refrain from these common pitfalls to make sure you have an effective onboarding gift strategy.
Generic, Low-Quality Items
The absence of personalized attention for new employees makes them feel that they are just a number in the company.
Therefore, you should avoid including some of the things in the onboarding gifts, such as the branded pens of poor quality, as they can quickly stop functioning.
Also, don’t give them thin, scratchy t-shirts, seriously, nobody wants to wear that, and no one even wants to have cheap USB drives with minimal storage.
In case you are thinking about giving a generic mug, it will collect dust; it’s preferable to select one premium item instead of distributing several inferior ones.
Ignoring Remote Workers
Do not forget to incorporate virtual onboarding activities even into your remote work policies.
Given the lack of physical connections wfh workers, thoughtful onboarding gifts become vital.
You can consider providing them with digital vouchers that joinees can redeem for coffee or meals during virtual meetings or home office setup packages.
Or, send onboarding care packages straight to new remote employees’ homes, or from where they are working.
Making Your Gifts Meaningful
Take note of gift etiquette, which means the way in which you present your onboarding offerings is nearly as vital as the presents themselves.
The following are the ways to maximize the significance of the moment, so take a look at them.
Make it Personal
A generic gift drop can feel transactional; you can consider adding a personal touch by including a handwritten note from their manager or team members.
You can have group members present the presents personally, as well as explain why you chose particular presents to show their significance.
During interviews, you can find details on what they like or dislike, which will allow you to personalize their gifts.
Create a Shared Experience
Whenever possible, incorporate a gift-giving strategy into an experience that everyone shares.
Such as you can offer presents during a team welcome lunch, or create an “unboxing” moment during group introductions.
In addition, consider picking up a gift that will be appreciated by all members of the team collectively.
The Final Package
Think of onboarding gifts as your business investments, as they both function quite similarly, in building employee engagement and retention, and enhancing satisfaction.
The right present can make new joiners feel valued and welcome, as well as reduce early turnover and its associated costs.
In addition, the present must reinforce your company culture and values, and create positive first impressions that last.
In relation to onboarding gifts, cultivating strong and enduring relationships with new employees is more vital than helping them succeed in the immediate term.
The quality of these presents should not depend on the budget but on the meaning and intention behind them.
FAQs
Ans: The onboarding process is important because this approach creates a welcoming, appreciative, and exciting experience for new hires joining your team.
Ans: You can consider high-quality branded merchandise, tech products, or personalized welcome kits in the list of ideal onboarding gifts.
Ans: When picking up onboarding gifts, you must avoid generic, bad-quality items and isolating remote employees.
Ans: To make onboarding gifts meaningful, you can consider adding personal elements such as a handwritten note or a presentation from the team.
