New Employee Welcome Messages (With Examples)

Once you’ve hired a new employee, it’s important to welcome them to the team. This involves sending them a message that sets a positive tone and prepares them for their first day.

We will go over the key components of a welcome letter and provide examples to let new team members know how glad you are to have them.

Key Takeaways:

• When writing a welcome letter it is important to make the purpose of the letter clear and use a welcoming tone.

• The letter should include the key information they need, any required documents, and first day expectations.

• Expressing your genuine excitement will reassure new employees that they made the right choice and allow them to transition as smoothly as possible.

What is a Welcome Letter?

A welcome letter is a document that an employer (hiring manager, direct supervisor, team member, etc.) sends to a new hire. It’s one of the first impressions a new employee will have of the company, so a friendly and professional note will set positive expectations of the work environment.

Companies can use a template that they can edit quickly to suit the needs of the department and position of the new employee. Generally, this letter should be sent after a person has accepted an offer but before their first day.

This letter serves several purposes:

• Confirming a new hire’s decision to accept the position

• Making sure your new hire feels valued

• Providing essential information about what to expect on their first day

Having all this info will make your new employee more prepared and confident, as well as take some of the burdens off the hiring manager and other HR personnel.

Welcome letters can include onboarding paperwork as well, so the new employee can get a head start on all the administrative stuff before they come into the office.

Key Components of a Welcome Letter

Welcome letters can vary considerably in form and content. Try to adopt a standardized method that your company will implement in writing welcome letters. However, some objectives are valid across the board for crafting a message that makes new employees feel right at home on their first day on the job.

1. A clear purpose. This is kind of a “step 0.” Before you set out to write a welcome letter, determine the goals you want it to meet. You always want to congratulate the employee and express excitement about working alongside them.

   Beyond that, you’ll want to include some essential information (more on that below). Don’t try to think of everything on your own – reach out to people who will work with the new employee and see what they think should be included.

2. An introduction.If you’re sending an email welcome message (which we recommend, for ease of incorporating important links), make sure to include a subject line along the lines of “Congratulations on becoming part of the team” or “Welcome aboard.”

   You also want to introduce who you are, especially if you weren’t in contact with the new hire during the hiring process. The new hire will have your email address if you’re emailing them, but be sure to include any extra contact information they can use if they have a question or need help with something.

3. A welcoming tone.No surprises here; a welcome letter should feel, um, welcoming. Utilize an engaging and upbeat tone to foster excitement about the new job. Show that you’re excited to have them on the team and possibly reiterate qualities essential to the company culture.

   If you’re writing to a new hire who will be a peer, let them know how happy you are to be working alongside them. It’s also a good idea to include names and contact information of people that the new hire will be in close contact with or training under, so they have options and know where to turn if they have any questions.

4. Key information.Some information is absolutely need-to-know for an employee to feel comfortable coming into the office for their first time. Some things are essential to include here:

   • Start date/time

   • Work hours

   • What to bring

   • Parking information

   • Arrival instructions

   • First-day schedule

   • Contact information

   You want the new hire to know exactly what to expect on their first day, without overwhelming them with information. You can also send a link to your company’s employee handbook, which might cover some of the info listed above, as well as additional details.

   Include any other information that you think will be important for the new employee. Things like dress code, the names/positions of the new hire’s team members, the location of their workstation and/or the break room, and any welcome events you have planned for them are all options you can incorporate into the letter.

   Suppose you’re crafting a more thorough welcome letter. In that case, you may also opt to include a more extensive orientation/onboarding schedule, a sample daily schedule, and links to onboarding forms and employee tools/resources, such as Slack or Google Docs.

5. Required documents.If you need a new employee to bring certain documents on their first day, make that clear– things like bank account details, forms of ID, social security, onboarding documents, etc. You don’t want your new employee to go through a lot of hassle on their first day because you forgot to mention they needed a specific form filled out.

6. First day expectations. Providing a schedule for your new employee’s first day will do a lot to put their mind at ease. They’ll know the exact structure of their day and can plan for it accordingly.

   Some of this is probably covered in the “key information” section, such as arrival time/instructions, so use your judgment if you need to make a separate section outlining their first-day schedule or if all the info is already there.

7. City information.This one is specific to a new hire who has relocated to join your company. Giving the newcomer some information about life in the city is a nice gesture that will help them feel at home much more quickly.

   You can even crowdsource this information from your current employees. For example, if you know the new employee has a dog, you might ask some dog-lovers around the office for tips on the best dog parks nearby. Information about local schools, child care resources, restaurant recommendations, and nearby gyms can also be helpful.

5 Example New Employee Welcome Letters

Every company has its own unique culture, so use these templates as a jumping-off point. We’ve broken them down into “casual” and “professional.” We’ve also included sample letters for an employee who has relocated. For an email message, use a subject line with the word “congratulations” or “welcome” in it – just something to let the recipient know what to expect.

1. Employee Welcome Letter 1 (Casual)

   Subject line: Welcome to the team, Alex!

   Hi Alex!

   Welcome to our team! We are all ecstatic to have you on board at XYZ Corp. We know that you’re going to be a great addition to our company and are excited to see what you achieve.

   We haven’t gotten a chance to meet yet, so let me introduce myself. I am Sara, and I will be your supervisor. Don’t hesitate to reach out to me with any questions that pop up during the onboarding process.

   Your first day of work will be November 10 at 9 a.m. You can park in any of the unmarked spots in the parking lot. When you walk in, talk to Phil at reception. He’ll hook you up with an employee badge and let me know you’ve arrived. I’ll meet you in the lobby and bring you around for an office tour so you can meet some of your team and familiarize yourself with your work station.

   Please bring two copies of ID with you, as they will be required to complete onboarding paperwork. I’m also linking the employee handbook, our Google Docs profile, and some onboarding documents for you to look over. You’ll have a meeting with HR in the morning to go over new employee training, and afterward, we’ll sit down to go over your daily responsibilities. I also want to have you meet with the marketing department, as you’ll be working closely with them in your day-to-day duties.

   We have a casual dress code, so be sure to show up comfy! Your new coworkers are thrilled to meet you and welcome you to our team. If you have any questions during your transition, Bill and Ted are excellent resources you can reach out to. You’ll have a chance to meet them on your first day to go over any details about your new position.

   If you have any questions about your first day or anything else, please reach out to me by email or give me a call at (555)-555-5555. We know you’ll do a great job, and we’re all excited to meet you on November 10.

   Sincerely,
   Sara MacLaughlin
   Operations Manager

2. Employee Welcome Letter 2 (Professional)

   Subject line: Welcome to EasyFlow Solutions

   Dear Rebecca,

   Welcome to EasyFlow Solutions. We are thrilled to have you onboard and look forward to meeting you on your first day, Monday, November 9. Our business hours are from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. For your first day, we’d like you to arrive at 8:15 a.m., so we have time to give you a tour of the office before your training starts.

   We met once during your interview process, but allow me to introduce myself again. My name is David Young, and I’m your go-to HR representative. Feel free to contact me with any questions about HR or our onboarding process. I can also put you in touch with other coworkers if you have any job-related queries.

   Please use our parking lot, but we ask that you don’t park in any reserved spots. Once you’re inside, check in with Ann at reception. She’ll have a security badge ready for you and will call me down to meet you in the lobby.

   For your first day, please consult this schedule:

   8:15 a.m. – 9 a.m.: Office tour
   9 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.: Orientation with our head of HR, Tom Banks
   10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.: Team lunch in the conference room
   12 p.m. – 1 p.m. Internal systems orientation with our head of IT, Selena Garcia
   1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.: Meeting with Marketing and IT departments
   2:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Training with team members Sara Hutchins and Tom Bilford

   Please bring in documentation for your I-9 and bank details so we can set you up with payroll. Our dress code is business casual.

   Welcome to the team! We are excited to meet you on November 9 and have you as part of our company.

   Sincerely,
   David Young
   Head of Human Resources

3. Employee Welcome Letter 3 (Relocated employee – casual)

   Subject line: Welcome to Seattle and TYVM Inc.

   Hi Tim!

   Congratulations, and welcome to the TYVM Inc. family! We know you’re going to do great things here and look forward to having someone with your unique skill set and experience on our team.

   I didn’t get a chance to meet you during your hiring process, so let me introduce myself. My name is Karen Green, and I’ll be your team manager. Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions about onboarding or the job itself.

   We also want to welcome you to Seattle! Our team has put together a list of resources to help you get settled, attached below. Our team has a serious love of Thai food, so don’t be shocked by all the recommendations for Thai restaurants (we’ll have to hear your opinion on which is the best!) We also heard you have a dog (who we hope can visit the office at some point), so we’ve included all the best dog parks in the area.

   To confirm, your start date will be Monday, December 7. We have a flexible schedule where employees can choose to start between 7 a.m.-9 a.m. and finish between 3 p.m.-5 p.m., but for your first day, please arrive at 8 a.m. We share a parking lot with Hadley Corp., so just make sure you park in one of the TYVM Inc. parking spots. Check in with Tim at the reception – he’ll provide you with your security badge. I’ll come to meet you in the lobby and give you a quick office tour, introduce you to a few team members, and get you situated at your workstation.

   I’ve linked our employee handbook and some other useful onboarding information for you to peruse at your convenience. After our office tour, you’ll spend some time with the HR head, Suzie. We ask that you bring in two forms of ID and your bank info so we can get through all that annoying paperwork ASAP. Afterward, you and I will meet to go over the basics of the job. Around noon, we’ll have a team lunch out at Cujinos so you can meet the hooligans you’ll be working with. After that, you’ll meet with Tim Burke from IT to set you up on our internal systems.

   You probably noticed we dress pretty casually, so dress comfortably (just no pajamas when you have a client meeting!) Everyone on the team is excited to meet you, but we’ve assigned Bill Parsons to be your mentor. He’s an absolute wizard, so use him as a resource as you get settled in.

   If you have any questions about your first day or anything else, please reach out to me by email or give me a call at (555)-555-5555. We know you’ll do a great job, and we’re all excited to meet you on December 7.

   All the best,
   Karen Green
   Team Manager

4. Employee Welcome Letter 4 (Relocated employee – professional)

   Subject line: Congratulations on your new position at XYZ Organization

   Dear Phillip,

   Welcome to XYZ Organization! We are ecstatic that you’re joining the team. We know that someone with your background will be a valuable asset in making our new quarterly projects a success. Your start date is Monday, February 15. We operate between the hours of 8 a.m. and 6 p.m., but for your first day, we’d like you to arrive at 7:30 a.m. for a tour of the office.

   We didn’t get a chance to meet yet, so let me introduce myself. I am Jennifer Court, and I’ll be your direct manager. Please reach out to me if you have any questions about the job or the onboarding process.

   I’d also like to take this opportunity to welcome you to Miami! We’ve worked to make a resource guide for newly relocated employees, which you’ll find attached. Within, you can find information regarding local schools, daycare centers, fitness centers, restaurants, parks, and neighborhoods.

   When you arrive, please park at any of the spots marked XYZ Organization. Inside the building, meet with our receptionist, Lily. One of your teammates, Ann Berger, will come down to greet you and give you a tour of the office.

   We’ve sketched out a rough schedule for your first day:

   7:30 a.m. – 8 a.m.: Office tour
   8 a.m. – 10 a.m.: Meeting with HR department head, Alex Smith
   10 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.: Job orientation with Jennifer Court (me)
   12:00 p.m. – 1 p.m.: Team lunch at a local restaurant (TBD)
   1 p.m. – 2 p.m. Internal systems orientation with IT department head, Bill Kye
   2 p.m. – 3 p.m.: Meeting with Sales Department
   3 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Training with team members Ann Berger and John Fetch

   Our dress code is business casual. Please bring in two forms of identification and other documentation for your I-9.

   Welcome to XYZ Organization! We look forward to meeting you on February 15.

   Sincerely,
   Jennifer Court

5. Employee Welcome Letter 5 (Short)

   Subject line: Welcome aboard!

   Dear Arya,

   Welcome to the JT Inc. family! I enjoyed talking with you last week, and the whole team is thrilled to have you joining our sales force on Monday, October 26. We normally offer a flexible schedule, but for your first day, please arrive at 8:30 a.m.

   We also ask that you bring in some completed onboarding documentation (attached below) and two forms of ID to get through the HR stuff quickly.

   Feel free to use any of the available parking outside of our building. When you arrive, check in with Tim in the reception area. He’ll provide you with your company ID and show you to your workspace. You and I will then take a tour of the office, and I’ll drop you off with Jaime in HR. After you’re done with HR, we’ll have lunch with the team and get into job training after that.

   You and I will work together closely for the first couple of weeks while you settle in, so feel free to email me with any questions or call me at (987)-654-3210. Your new team members, Courtney and Colton are also super friendly and helpful, so please reach out to them with any questions as well.

   We all look forward to meeting you, and we’re sure you’ll be a great fit here at JT Inc. Welcome aboard!

   Sincerely,
   Howard Paul

Author

Matthew Zane

Matthew Zane is the lead editor of Zippia's How To Get A Job Guides. He is a teacher, writer, and world-traveler that wants to help people at every stage of the career life cycle. He completed his masters in American Literature from Trinity College Dublin and BA in English from the University of Connecticut.