New Employee Welcome Messages and Writing Tips

Has your company recently hired a new employee? If you are the new hire’s manager, you may be asked to send a welcome aboard letter to introduce them to the organization and the team.

These welcome letters may seem like a small gesture, but they can have a big impact on a new employee. Recent hires have to navigate a sea of procedural paperwork when they join a company. This may include tax forms, employee guidelines, a handbook, and materials explaining the employee's benefits.

How to Welcome an Employee to the Tream

The welcome aboard letter may be the only document that explicitly states the company’s appreciation. Overall, the letter serves to make a new employee feel comfortable and excited for their first day on the job.

In addition, this document serves several important functions:

• Confirming the new employee's status and start date.
• Letting them know what to expect on their first day of work, including whom they can expect to meet when they arrive.
• Outlining any expectations on the first day, e.g., dress codes.
• Assuring them that they are already an integral part of the team.

Letters may include onboarding paperwork, either printed out, attached, or linked to in an email. Read on to find out what information is typically included in a welcome letter, along with examples of both emails and hard copy notes.

What to Include in a Welcome Letter

The important details. Confirm the employee’s start date and information on where the new employee will go on their first day (e.g., "Head to the reception desk, and ask for Derrick."). It can also specify when the employee should arrive (e.g., "Our workday typically starts at 9:30, but for your first day, aim to get there at 10 a.m., so that I can give you a tour.").

A list of required documents. Let the employee know if there is anything (e.g., social security, bank account details, etc.) they should bring in on their first day or provide beforehand.

A rough schedule for the first day. Consider sharing information on what the new employee should expect from the first day with the company. For instance, "You'll spend your morning filling out paperwork and going through orientation with HR. Then, we'll have a welcome lunch, so you meet the whole team, followed by some one-on-one training with me."

A welcoming tone. You want the new employee to feel eager to join the company. Your note should make it clear that you’re happy the employee accepted the job and that you’re looking forward to working with them.

Email Welcome Message Examples

The following are examples of a welcome aboard message to send to a new employee. One sample is a formal letter; the others are email messages.

If you are sending an email message, the subject line of the message can simply say "Welcome," "Welcome to the Team," or "Congratulations." Then, in the body of the email, you can briefly mention some of the things to expect on the first day and confirm the start date.

Welcome Aboard Letter Example