Once an employer hires an employee, professional etiquette requires them to welcome this new member to the team. An employer can use a letter to welcome the employee. In the letter, the hiring manager should provide information about the company to help the new employee enter the work environment smoothly. Also, the employer should celebrate and appreciate them for joining the organization.
Hiring managers are advised to use a positive tone as this will set the working energy for the new employee. An employer should include detailed information about the organization to ensure that the employee understands exactly what to expect at the company.
Welcome Letter Templates
You can download the following templates for free:
Statistical Insight: Studies indicate that about 40-50% of new employees quit their jobs within the first three months due to feeling unwelcome and disregarded. That means writing a welcome letter is a perfect way of creating a great onboarding experience for new employees.
What is a Welcome Letter?
A welcome letter, also known as a new hire letter, is an official document the employer prepares to welcome new employees.
In the letter, you should introduce the company, mention the key team members and guide the new hire on what they should expect at the job.
In addition, you can remind them to carry certain documents, mention where they should park their vehicle, and when they should arrive. This information is important for new hires to ensure they feel welcome and accepted at their new place of work. Furthermore, providing this information will show them they made the right choice by accepting the job offer.
With this information, you will prepare them for a successful first day at work. There are three types of welcome letters: a new customer welcome letter, a new employee welcome letter, and a new client welcome letter. Ensure you call the new hire one week before their start date and send them the welcome letter.
Why are Welcome Letters Important?
A welcome letter for your new employees is important as it is a polite way of introducing them to your company culture. It is about getting them ready and excited for their first day at work by appreciating them for deciding to join your company and showing them that you care.
Below are some of the reasons why welcome letters are important:
- It reinforces the company culture by establishing what the company is all about and what is significant to it based on its message, design, and tone.
- It offers information about the organization, including employee names, the first day’s work, passwords, the company’s structure, and how best to work with the team.
- It makes employees part of the inner circle and gives them a sense of belonging. The letter adds a personal touch by welcoming new hires and reminding them that they made the right decision in accepting the job offer.
- A welcome letter sets the tone for the working relationship by highlighting the hopes and dreams you have for them working at the company.
- It eases anxiety by reminding the employee why you chose them for the job position. This means they will be more relaxed on their first day at work.
- With this letter, you will be able to create a positive work experience and make your new hires excited to get to work. You will encourage them to reach their full potential with high engagement and sufficient preparation from day one.
- Finally, a welcome letter acts as a source of helpful information for your new hire. It can help remind them of their roles and responsibilities, provide them with details about their future projects, and be used as a reference document.
How to Write Welcome Letter: Step-by-Step Guide
It is necessary to know how to write a proper welcome letter. You should first determine your goals for writing the letter. This entails researching the information you want to include in your letter, apart from congratulating and welcoming the new hire. Also, you can consult your colleagues to determine what information might be helpful for the new hire’s welcome letter.
You should then proceed to outline the letter to know how to organize the information you want to share with them. You can list your ideas and determine how to divide them into different paragraphs.
At this point, you can start writing your welcome letter by using the following step-by-step guide.
Step 1: Welcome the employee
Your first paragraph should focus on welcoming the new employee to your company. You should also congratulate them for getting the job and appreciate them for accepting the job offer. Moreover, express your excitement about having them join the team. Before writing this paragraph, ensure that you include a personalized greeting using the new hire’s name.
To make this paragraph more appealing and welcoming, you can mention the reason(s) why they were chosen by highlighting their outstanding skills and briefly mentioning the projects they will be handling.
Step 2: Introduce yourself
For the second step, go ahead and introduce yourself to them by mentioning your official name and your role at the company. Ensure that you also include your contact information here or at the end of the letter to offer them a way to contact you in case they have questions.
In addition, you should include a brief statement that describes the company’s culture, its mission, and vision. This is a way of welcoming new employees to something bigger and guiding them on what they will contribute to as they work at the company.
Step 3: Provide first-day information and onboarding process
For a detailed welcome letter, you should provide them with first-day information and details of the onboarding process. This includes what the employee should expect for their first day/week at the company. Furthermore, you need to inform them about what they need for a smooth onboarding process to avoid confusion when they arrive at work.
Some of the details that you should include in the letter are:
- Documents that they need to fill out, that is, ‘eligibility to work’ document, new hire forms, and enrollment documents
- Start date/Arrival time
- Parking details (where to park, if they will be charged, or if they need a pass)
- How they will be greeted (how they should arrive, where they should go to and who they should ask for)
- Dress code/Wardrobe
- Day one agenda
- Food and drink/Lunch
- ID badges/other forms of identification needed to get inside
- Working hours
- Best transportation to use to work
Step 4: Provide a list of the contacts
Next, you should provide the employee with a list of contacts. This includes the names and contact details of relevant personnel at work, including the HR, their manager, the IT manager, team members, and other onboarding colleagues. This means that the new hire will have a way to communicate with these individuals and know who to expect on their first day at work.
Step 5: Expand further as needed
You can also expand their first-day information as needed. You can include a new employee packet with more helpful information, depending on your company. In addition, you can include a link in the welcome letter where they can access the employee handbook and other employee tools and resources. If you wish, you can also choose to list a few colleagues who will be closely working with the new hire.
Step 6: Include access information
Finally, include access information the new hire will need while working at the company. This entails the company’s software, login information, relevant passwords, and intranet.
Step 7: Close the letter
At this point, you should close your letter by restating your welcome message and showing excitement to have them at the company. You can also include first-day on-the-job tips for them or restate any important information. Proceed to end the letter with your name and signature.
Pro tip: Make it personal. When writing a welcome letter, you need to personalize it. You can use their name in the greetings or include a specific detail about their qualifications and achievements that impressed you. This will make them feel connected to the company and excited about starting work. For example, our department head was very interested in your ability to attract more customers and is eager to see how you will increase our company’s customer base.
Sample Welcome Letters
Sample 1: Short and sweet
Lucy Brooks
123 P. Heaven Ave.
111 111 1111
January 17, 2023
Thomas Martin
Hiring Manager
All Over Company
456 Q. Mountain Ave.
Dear Lucy Brooks,
We warmly welcome you to our company, where we believe that “Together, We can achieve anything!” Congratulations on getting the IT department manager job, and we appreciate you for accepting the job offer.
On your first day at work, you will find Joseph Johnson at the front desk. He will help you get your employee ID badge. You can park at the front of the building. You will spend the day knowing more about the company while Mr. Johnson shows you around. Feel free to ask him any questions.
On behalf of the entire organization, welcome aboard. We cannot wait to see your technical proficiency and leadership skills at the company, especially within the IT department. Good luck on your first day!
Sincerely,
[Signature]
Thomas Martin
Sample 2: More detailed
Jason Chan
Limited Avenue
999 999 9999
January 17, 2023
Agnes Philips
Hiring Manager
ABC Company
Zest Way Drive
Dear Jason Chan,
Welcome to ABC Company, as we are excited to have you join the team. We appreciate you for accepting the job offer and congratulate you for your interview merits and outstanding skills. Your expertise and knowledge of how to build a bigger and better customer base really stood out in your application document. We cannot wait to have you working at the company.
Your first day at work will be on January 23, 2023, on a Monday. You should arrive by 8.30 am and park on the east side of the building. You will see a parking lot marked ‘Employees Only.’ The arrival time is usually 9 am, but you should arrive earlier for the orientation and onboarding process.
You can use the company buses at 32nd and Main Street to get to work or the train that will drop you off 200 meters from the company. If you intend to drive, use the L road once you are in town to avoid the rush-hour morning traffic, especially on Mondays and Wednesdays.
Once you arrive at the company, you will be given a guest pass at the gate, which you will exchange for an ID badge at the front desk. There, you will meet your fellow employees and be escorted to the HR department for the employee handbook and filling of the new hire paperwork.
You will then be given a company tour and later directed to the main conference room for lunch. Here, you will receive further directions about the company and your job position while getting a chance to meet the company manager. Later in the day, the company manager will introduce you to your teams and other employees.
You will get a chance to meet your supervisor and receive your first-week agendas. Our dress code is smart casual. After the first day, you can carry your own lunch or visit the cafeteria for lunch. Ensure you provide your dietary specifications and restrictions. Our business day ends at 5 pm unless you meet with your supervisor or have a special project.
Here is your supervisor’s email [email protected]. Feel free to contact them for any queries you might have about the company, your colleagues, or your first day at work. Once again, we welcome you aboard and cannot wait to have you join the ABC Company team.
Sincerely,
[Signature]
Agnes Philips
How Should the Welcome Letter be Delivered?
You should deliver the welcome letter directly to the new employee’s home for a personal touch. Ensure that you send them a text message to inform them about the package. Nevertheless, you can also send it through email if the employee prefers electronic communication.
Another method you can use to deliver the letter is by sending the new hire a link with a video message specifically crafted to welcome them.
Bottom Line
A welcome letter for your new employee is important. With such a letter, your new hire will feel welcomed, connected, appreciated, excited, and ready for their first day at work. You need to know how to craft a proper and effective letter using the steps provided. Moreover, you can use a template to prepare a detailed and accurate letter.
The article contains a step-by-step guide that will help you when preparing your own welcome letter. Also, you can access welcome letter templates online and use them to save time while preparing the letter. Finally, ensure that you proofread and edit your letter before sending it. You can ask for help from the HR department or the company’s legal advisor.