12 Employee welcome kit ideas to onboard new hires right

First impressions matter, and for new hires, that often starts before their first meeting. A thoughtful welcome kit tells someone they’re already part of the team, even before they’ve logged in on their first day.

Keep reading as we explore employee welcome kit ideas for any team size or budget. Get examples from major brands and discover how to send welcome kits without the shipping headache.

What is an employee welcome kit?

An employee welcome kit is a set of items given to a new hire during their first days on the job, meant to help them feel welcomed and connected to the team from day one. A typical new hire welcome kit includes branded apparel, drinkware, or desk items, sometimes paired with a small treat or personal touch.

A welcome kit is the physical, tangible part of onboarding – not to be confused with a new employee welcome packet, which covers the paperwork side, such as login credentials, benefits forms, and team contacts.

A well-put-together kit supports real outcomes – stronger company culture, higher employee satisfaction, and a more positive onboarding experience. It signals that a company’s values show up in how it treats people, not just what it asks of them.

The easiest way to send welcome kits to remote and hybrid teams

Remote work has made employee welcome kits even more important for building a sense of belonging, but shipping them to people in different cities or countries is a challenge. HR teams end up juggling sizes, color preferences, and addresses for every new hire.

Printful’s MerchShare solves this. Companies can design a new hire welcome kit online for free, then share an order link with employees. Each team member orders their own items and inputs sizes, colors, and a delivery address.

Here’s how it works:

1. Create a free Printful account.

2. Choose from 563 high-quality products to build your kit.

3. Upload your company logo or design and apply it using Printful’s free Design Maker.

4. Save the design as a template and generate a shareable link.

5. Send the link to your new hire, who picks their own size and color.

6. Choose who pays – you or the employee. If you’re covering it, confirm the order in your dashboard before it ships.

7. The employee receives their kit at home, anywhere in the world.
   
   

Since every item is printed on demand, nothing gets made until an employee actually places their order. That means no upfront inventory, no minimums, and no leftover mugs or hoodies sitting in a storage closet after the onboarding season ends.

It’s also a lower-waste way to handle company swag, since nothing is produced without a new hire already lined up.

Real welcome kit examples from top companies

Not sure where to start? Check out these new employee welcome kit examples for inspiration, and see what made each one work.

Deloitte

Source: Instagram

Since so many Deloitte employees work remotely, their onboarding kit is built around tech. New hires get a laptop and phone, plus a mouse, smart watch, notebook, pen, power bank, and water bottle, all branded with the company logo. They’ve also included a desk mat at times, giving the whole setup a matching, put-together look.

Google

Source: TikTok

Google doesn’t save the swag just for full-time hires. Interns get their own welcome box too, usually with a laptop backpack and a tumbler. But the real star is the Noogler hat, a colorful propeller beanie handed to every new Googler as part of the company’s onboarding tradition.

It’s playful, instantly recognizable, and doubles as a built-in icebreaker on someone’s first day.

American Express

Source: Instagram

Amex’s onboarding kit varies depending on the location and role. Some new hires get branded essentials like a laptop bag, a water bottle, and a notebook. Others receive a different mix – a notebook, mug, pen, keychain, and phone stand.

Either way, the variation shows that a welcome kit doesn’t need to be identical company-wide to still feel consistent and on-brand.

Olivia Jean

Source: Instagram

The handbag brand gifts new team members a kit built entirely around its own products. It includes a work bag, a laptop case, a sunglasses pouch, a keychain, and a lip balm holder stocked with a lip balm. A water bottle and a few sweet treats round it out.

For a product-based company, the kit works double duty – it’s a hands-on introduction to what the brand makes, and free marketing every time an employee carries it outside.

12 Welcome kit ideas for every budget and team

From the basics to something a little more premium, here are some new hire gift ideas for different team sizes and company budgets. Mix and match to create a kit that feels thoughtful and on-brand.

The essentials kit

This is the simplest starting point for new employees – a branded pen, mug, and notebook. Toss in a company tee, and you’ve got a small, useful set of branded essentials that covers the basics without overthinking it.

It works well for bulk hiring or as your first curated welcome kit. The company t-shirt doubles for casual Fridays or everyday wear, the mug becomes part of someone’s morning routine, and the notebook gets used from week one.

The cozy kit

A hoodie, beanie, and a pair of branded socks make up this kit, built for comfort more than anything else. It’s one of the more popular welcome package ideas for colder climates or teams that mostly work from home.

Cozy items also tend to get worn often, which helps employees feel connected to the team without it feeling forced. As part of employee onboarding, small comfort items like these go a long way toward making someone’s first week feel a little warmer, literally.

The remote worker kit

Here’s another practical gift idea for teams that rarely share an office. Built with remote employees in mind, this kit covers what actually gets used at a home desk – a branded laptop sleeve, mouse pad, water bottle, and mug. Pair it with a handwritten welcome letter to make the onboarding gift feel personal.

New hires working from home miss out on the in-person energy of a first day, so a small, thoughtful package like this can still get them excited about joining the team.

Read also: Your ultimate guide to gifts for remote employees

The premium kit

For roles or teams where a bigger budget makes sense, a bomber jacket, tumbler, and quality notebook make for one of the more memorable welcome kits for new employees. A jacket isn’t something most companies hand out casually, which is exactly why it reads as a genuine investment in the new hire rather than a routine gift.

This same combination doubles well as a corporate gift for clients or top performers.

Desk essentials kit

Sticky notes, a mouse pad, basic office supplies, and a couple of tech accessories cover what most people actually reach for during their first week. They’re practical for any organization that wants new hires set up quickly without overthinking the details.

The on-the-go kit

Some of the best new employee welcome kit ideas are also the simplest. This one includes a tote bag, water bottle, and stickers – items people actually end up using outside of work, too. The tote gets carried to the gym or the store, and the stickers let people personalize their laptop or bottle however they like. These kinds of thoughtful gifts don’t need to be complicated to feel intentional.

First-day box kit

The star of this kit isn’t what’s inside, it’s the box itself. A branded box turns a simple personalized gift – a welcome letter, tote bag, t-shirt, hat, and a few stickers – into a proper unboxing moment.

Did you know?

Printful offers several custom branding options, including custom packaging and inserts like business cards and stickers.

The team spirit kit

Nothing says “you’re on the team” quite like matching colors. A sweatshirt, hat, and socks in your team’s colors are great for sales pods, sports-adjacent brands, or any group with a bit of friendly rivalry between departments.

Someone settling into a new role starts to feel like part of the team once people at the office can recognize who they’re playing for.

The eco-conscious kit

If sustainability is part of your company culture, gifting sustainable items like a reusable bottle and tote made from recycled materials conveys the message well.

These are great for values-driven welcome kits for new employees, and they drive home what the company stands for from a new hire’s very first day.

The tech starter kit

Mark a new team member’s first day with something they’ll actually use – and that helps their productivity, too.

A branded laptop sleeve, earphone case, and mouse pad or desk mat are easy picks. A few extras, like a USB-C hub, phone stand, or compact power bank, round out the kit nicely.

The wellness kit

Starting a new job comes with a mix of excitement and nerves, and a wellness kit acknowledges both. Dried fruit, stress balls, and a pair of socks or a beanie make for a thoughtful gesture. Other stress relievers, like fidget toys or a mini desk plant, also work well.

Sourcing a few items from local businesses ties the kit back to your company’s mission, especially if community or sustainability matters to your brand.

The digital-first kit

Pair a QR code linking to a welcome video or team intro page with a single physical item, like a mug or tote. This new hire gift idea is ideal for teams that want to introduce company culture before the paperwork starts, or for anyone keeping onboarding costs lean.

6 Tips for building your own welcome kit

Putting a kit together is easier once you know what actually matters. Here are several things to keep in mind before you start ordering.

Keep your branding consistent

Whether it’s a company t-shirt or a notebook, every item should carry the same logo, colors, and overall look. A cohesive kit feels intentional and reinforces the brand from day one.

After all the budget and effort spent curating the kit, the last thing you want is for it to look like an afterthought.

Set a budget before you pick items

Decide what you’re comfortable spending per new hire, then work from there.

With proper branding and smart picks, a well-thought-out $30 kit can look like a $100 one and send the right message.

Decide if the kit needs to ship

If the team is remote or hybrid, factor shipping into what you choose. Light, durable items travel well, while anything fragile or bulky risks arriving damaged or costing more to send.

Better yet, use MerchShare to let employees order their own kit, skipping the headache altogether.

Time it to the onboarding process

Send the kit to arrive before or on someone’s first few days, not weeks into the job. Early delivery, ideally as part of the onboarding process, sets the tone before the new hire even shows up.

Add a personal touch

Include the employee’s name, department, or a short personal message somewhere in the kit, on a card, or even printed on an item. It’s a small detail, but it shows the company values them as an individual and helps them feel connected to the team faster.

Pick items people actually use

Skip anything that looks nice but ends up in a drawer. Kits built around genuinely useful items lead to a more positive employee experience, since they show thoughtfulness and cut down on waste from items nobody wanted in the first place.

Final thoughts

A great employee welcome kit doesn't need to be complicated or expensive to make an impression. Whether it's a simple tote and notebook or a fully branded first-day box, what matters most is that new hires feel seen from day one. 

Start small, stay consistent with your branding, and build on what works as your team grows.

If you don't have the time or team to manage it all, Printful's MerchShare makes it easy to welcome new hires without a big time or budget commitment. Sign up for free today and try it for your next onboarding cycle.