How to welcome a new employee [+ 27 welcome messages]

We’ve all been there—starting a new job full of questions ranging from the mundane (“Where will I sit?”) to the major (“How can I succeed?”). Being the new kid is hard, no matter how experienced or outgoing someone is. 

In fact, only about one-half of employees surveyed found their company’s onboarding experience satisfactory. As for the other half? Unfortunately, they reported feeling undertrained — and 80% of them stated a plan to leave their job soon. 

Keep your team intact and thriving by learning exactly how to welcome a new employee. A strong employee onboarding process doesn’t just provide a warm welcome to the team; instead, it integrates the new hire into your culture, processes, and operations while empowering them to do their best work. Simply put, onboarding and welcoming a new employee is a must — and it must be done right. 

Read for tips to turn “new hire” into “old hat.” 

1. Organize their workspace and first day schedule

Your new hire should enter a welcoming, organized space on their first day. Don’t let their first impression be a cold, empty cubicle. Instead, set up their technical equipment and make sure they have a chair and office supplies. 

If they’re starting virtually, make sure they’ve received their equipment, can log in to any required systems, and have access to necessary documents. Because they won’t be working in person with others, extend them a virtual welcome from you or the team in a video call (for added fun and connectivity, try using check-in questions or icebreakers). 

Here’s a shortlist of the must-have equipment for remote workers:

• Computer, mouse, keyboard, headset, etc.
• Established accounts with the right access permissions
• Username and password details for these accounts
• Desk, chair, pens, and paper (if in person)

However amazing the office space is, you’ll make a greater impression by preparing a detailed first day agenda. After all, your new hire wants to get to work, not just stare at a cubicle wall! A preplanned schedule ensures the new hire has a valuable way to spend their day. 

Consider something like this: 

2. Share relevant resources 

We all want new hires to succeed, but as schedules become busier and workloads heavier, ensuring they have all the information they need is not always easy. 

That’s why you should plan ahead to collect, organize, and share important documentation. Imagine starting a new job and instantly feeling not just included but knowledgeable about their new workspace. If you have access to employee onboarding software, you can present all the information in one place.

Be sure to provide the following:

• Training, SOPs, and process docs
• Documentation about company culture and organizational values
• Details about the employee’s role, responsibilities, and growth trajectory
• Organizational charts for the team and the broader organization

If you are unable to track down this information, consider adding it to the next iteration of your learning and development strategy. Giving new hires the right education from the start can lead to long-term success.

3. Schedule meetings with key team members

First things first: Book time for new hires to meet with key partners, like their direct manager, immediate teammates, mentors or onboarding buddies, and others they’ll interact closely with. Don’t overwhelm them — just one or two intro meetings a day will suffice. 

Use this time to discuss onboarding plans, role and performance expectations, team goals, training goals, and company information. Stakeholders can share how they’ll interact with the new hire, and mentors or managers can share their personal journeys with the company. If anyone’s not sure what to discuss, try some creative meeting icebreakers to get the conversation flowing.

4. Coordinate fun meet-and-greets with the rest of the team

Give the new hire a chance to get to know their teammates by facilitating fun events to get everyone together. These don’t have to be anything fancy — a simple coffee break or team lunch can do the trick. Occasional happy hours or other after-work activities can help everyone let off steam.

For a remote or hybrid team, consider virtual coffee breaks or casual chat sessions. There are even virtual team building events like escape rooms or classes.

The goal is to help everyone learn more about each other, welcome the new hire, and have fun, so try to keep job-related talk to a minimum. Before you know it, you’ll convert a group of colleagues into true teammates.

5. Send a welcome email before they start

After the offer letter and other required documents are signed, sealed, and delivered, there’s often a period of silence until the employee’s start date. Don’t let this negative space turn into anxiety or impostor syndrome for your new employee. Remind them that you’re keeping them top of mind with a welcome email.

Not only does this put you at the top of the employee’s inbox — and mind — but it also opens the opportunity to answer questions or calm any nerves prior to the big day. And it’s simply a kind, welcoming gesture. 

Craft an expert welcome email by remembering to include the following:

• Start date: Simply clarify that you look forward to seeing them on the anticipated start date.
• First day schedule: Detail what they should expect on their first day — who they’ll meet and anything they need to prepare.
• Onboarding plan: Let them know what happens after the first day: webinars, training sessions, meetings, etc.
• Required first-day paperwork: Set them up for success by sharing what they should bring for Day One paperwork, e.g., work eligibility documentation.
• Who can help: Share the contact information of anyone who can help. For instance, you might include IT’s email address for IT in case of technical issues. 

6. Stay available for questions and feedback

Most importantly, make sure the new hire feels empowered to reach out with any questions. Starting a new position raises a lot of questions, and it takes time to get acclimated to a new environment, so be patient with your new hire as they get up to speed.

Setting a regular cadence for check-ins is helpful for new hires and overall team success. This saves the new employee from debating whether or when they should ask questions and gives them a dedicated space to ask for what they need. These check-ins are also great for sharing feedback with the new hire. 

Managers might schedule these meetings weekly or even more often at first, while the HR team can be more sporadic (once a month for the first 90 days, for instance).

Onboarding Feedback

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Download our checklist for welcoming a new hire to keep track of all of these to-dos.

27 “Welcome to the team” message examples

A welcome email to a new employee can set your relationship off on the right foot. Whether you reach out after they sign the offer or a couple of days before Day One, keeping in touch is crucial to building a strong relationship. 

Not sure how to welcome a new employee via email? There’s no need to overthink it—write from the heart, keep it brief, and show off your company’s culture. Here are a handful of welcome message examples to help you get started.

Inspiring employee welcome messages

• 1. Welcome, [Name]! We’re so excited to have you here. Your talent and perspective are going to make a huge difference, and we can’t wait to see you shine in this role.
• 2. Congratulations and welcome, [Name]! We believe in your potential to make an incredible impact. We’re here to support you as you grow and succeed.
• 3. Welcome aboard! We’re excited to see how you’ll bring fresh energy to the team and take this role to new heights.
• 4. Welcome to the team!! We know you’ll accomplish great things here. Always feel empowered to share your ideas and collaborate—your voice matters, and we’re lucky to have you.
• 5. Excited to have you on the team, [Name]! We believe in your abilities and can’t wait to see how you’ll elevate our projects and goals. Let’s do amazing things together!
• 6. Excited to welcome you, [Name]! We’re confident that you’ll bring innovation and excellence to this role. We’re here to support you every step of the way.
• 7. Thrilled to have you with us, [Name]! Your contributions will help shape the future of our team, and we’re eager to see all you’ll achieve.
• 8. Welcome to the team, [Name]! Your talents stood out for a reason, and we can’t wait to make an impact together!
• 9. Congratulations and welcome, [Name]! We know you’ll bring fresh ideas and innovation to the table, and we look forward to working with you.

Short welcome messages for new employees

• 10. We’re delighted to have you on board and can’t wait to see your impact.
• 11. Welcome! We’re thrilled to have you and look forward to achieving great things together.
• 12. Congratulations on joining [Company]! You’re going to do amazing things here.
• 13. Welcome aboard! We’re so happy you chose to grow with us.
• 14. We’re excited to have you here, [Name]! Let’s make great things happen together.
• 15. Welcome to the family, [Name]! You’re an incredible addition to the team.
• 16. We’re so glad you’re here! Your skills and talents will be a great asset.
• 17. Welcome to [Company Name]! We’re excited to see what you’ll accomplish.
• 18. So happy you’re here! Let’s work together to achieve [company mission].
• 19. Welcome aboard! You’re going to love being part of this team.

Get-to-know you messages 

• 20. Welcome, [Name]! We’re thrilled to have you here and can’t wait to learn more about your story, ideas, and unique talents. 
• 21. We’re so excited to have you on board, [Name]! Your skills and experience stood out, and we’re eager to get to know you better as you settle into your new role.
• 22. Welcome to the team!! We’ll schedule a time for everyone to connect soon. We can’t wait to hear your ideas and learn more about your background!
• 23. Welcome, [Name]! We’re eager to hear about your passions and goals as we work together.
• 24. Congratulations on joining us, [Name]! We can’t wait to discover more about your unique perspective and experiences.
• 25. We’re so happy you’re here, [Name]! Your ideas and talents are already a great fit, and we look forward to learning more about what drives you.
• 26. Welcome to the team, [Name]! As we start this journey together, we’re excited to hear about your vision for the role and get to know you on a deeper level.
• 27. Hi [Name], welcome to the team! You’ve already impressed us with your talents, and we’re looking forward to connecting personally and professionally as you grow here.

Tips make a new employee feel welcome

When deciding how to make a new employee feel welcome, consider your unique situation. All new hires will require introductions to the team and company, but the more experienced someone is, the less job-related training they’ll likely need. Onsite employees will have ample opportunity for water-cooler chat, but it takes more intention to welcome new employees remotely. 

A few general things to focus on include:

• Doing frequent check-ins, especially for workers who aren’t onsite
• Fostering open communication and feedback — encourage the employee to ask questions and freely offer feedback to them
• Expecting mistakes, as onboarding takes time 

Onboarding mistakes to avoid

Don’t be worried if challenges arise: onboarding isn’t always easy. That said, understanding the common mistakes will help you catch and avoid them.

• Lack of preparedness. Set yourself up for success by planning ahead and having everything ready to get your new employee started on their first day.
• Too much information. Avoid overwhelm-by-TMI by gradually rolling information out to your new team member instead of expecting them to ingest everything at once.
• Being all business. Of course, the work is why everyone is here, but don’t forget to share the softer stuff and integrate the employee into the culture.
• Access issues. Make sure your employee can access their tools and systems right away.
• One-size-fits-all onboarding. Tailor your onboarding plan to the individual role and team to make it the most impactful. 
• Lack of clarity. Be clear about the employee’s role and expectations, what they need to learn, and who they can contact for help.

Kick off the welcome wagon with Mentimeter

You’re all set with knowledge of how to welcome a new employee to the team: start off with a warm welcome, design an engaging first day, make resources and help available, and foster team relationships. Take your training and onboarding a step further by leveraging Mentimeter.

You can immediately get your new team members up to speed with informative, engaging, and inclusive tools. Think: interactive training presentations, clearly documented resources, and fun quizzes and Q&As. Sign up to get started with your first Menti.