21 Ideas for New Employee Welcome Gifts

Welcoming new employees in memorable and impressive ways has never been more important. The Great Resignation shows few signs of slowing down, and pre-pandemic employee turnover was already as much as 50% in the first 18 months of employment. These are just some reasons why proper employee onboarding is vital and a great opportunity to make a positive impression. There are many ways to ensure your new employees feel welcome from the start, but one simple way is by getting them welcome gifts or welcome kits that show your company is invested in them and values them. We’ve provided 21 ideas and gifts for new employees they’ll love!

Custom Apparel
One of the easiest ways to foster belonging for a new hire is gifting them branded apparel. Custom t-shirts with an awesome design featuring your company logo foster feelings of belonging and community among your team members, and making sure the new hires have the same t-shirt as everyone else during events or socials will set the right tone. Universally loved options like Bella + Canvas Long Sleeve T-shirts and District Short Sleeve T-shirts are super soft, comfortable, and flattering.
Depending on the time of year your new employees are being onboarded, custom hoodies and sweatshirts might be better choices if you’re wanting to harness the power of custom apparel. Carhartt hoodies are high-quality, durable, and cozy, so they’re great choices for outdoor work or traveling to and from the office. Nike pullovers and performance fleece are also high-performing pieces for your high-performing team.
When you’re not sure (yet) what style of apparel your new employees might prefer, custom hats are there for you! Hats are casual and practical, and you don’t have to worry about correct sizing. With so many universally flattering styles, you really can’t go wrong. Some of our favorites are New Era Trucker Hats, Nike Hats, New Era Beanies, and Port & Company Beanies.
Custom Backpacks and Totes
Working from home still requires the occasional visit to the office or meeting in-person, and custom backpacks and totes are great for when you need to work on the go. Give your employees a sleek and stylish backpack they’ll want to use for more than just work! The Timbuk2 Backpack Collection is an excellent choice for those seeking a sustainable brand since many of them are made from recycled materials. Timbuk2 also offers an array of features like spacious laptop pockets up to 17”, a water-repellant finish, ventilated back panel, and reflective tape. The North Face Fall Line Backpack is another fantastic pick for switching from the home to the office or the gym and, with a 28L capacity, will hold everything you need. More features include a reflective bike-light loop, internal organization, and a padded tablet sleeve.The Recycled Cotton Convention Tote Bag is a wonderful eco-friendly option not only because it’s made from recycled cotton but also because a purchase of these totes donates 1% to nonprofits dedicated to protecting the planet. The Essential Zip Convention Tote Bag will hold all of their belongings whether heading to the gym, office, or the next conference!
Custom Office Supplies
Custom promotional pens are a great addition to any welcome kit, and having a pen that writes smoothly and comfortably is (in our opinion) completely underrated. That’s why we love custom pens like the Pilot G2 Premium Gel Roller Pen for its high quality and the Papermate InkJoy Click Pen for its wide color selection. Custom notebooks with their own pens are great new employee welcome gifts too. The Eco-Spiral Notebook with Pen is essential for those looking for a sustainable option. The Function Erasable Notebook with Pen features special erasable and reusable paper when used with an erasable gel pen and allows you to scan and share notes via text message and email.
Tech Accessories
Get your new employees a head start on setting up their home office with some awesome custom tech gear. The Woven Fabric Bluetooth Speaker is a wonderful choice for bringing to the beach, on a picnic, or to keep in the office. When they need to charge up their devices throughout the day, they can reach for the Laser Engraved Plank 5,000 mAh Bamboo Wireless Power Bank. All of these custom accessories make excellent welcome gifts for remote workers that help them immediately feel like they’re part of the team.
Custom Headphones
Whether working from home, the office, or working out at the gym, headphones are the new employee welcome gift that keeps on giving! Help your new employees focus on the task at hand or jam through their to-do lists with Hush Active Noise Cancelling Bluetooth Headphones. Or if earbuds are preferable, check out the Full Color Braavos Wireless Charging Bluetooth Earbuds. These are versatile and premium gifts that will be constantly be useful at work!
Blue Light Filtering Glasses
It’s becoming common knowledge that constant exposure to blue light can impact our sleep quality. Not to mention, staring at a computer screen for hours at a time can be quite straining. If your new employees are going to be getting a lot of screen time at work, consider adding blue light filtering glasses to their welcome kit to help them get through the day.
Custom Drinkware
Simple yet sleek and practical, custom promotional water bottles and tumblers are always a hit! Arctic Zone drinkware features Thermal HP® double-wall vacuum construction to keep drinks hot for up to 12 hours and cold for up to 48 hours (!). MiiR drinkware boasts Thermo 3D ™ double wall vacuum insulation technology and MiiR gives at least 1% of revenue to nonprofit organizations whose work empowers communities while benefiting the health of their natural environments. Both of these collections feature custom laser engraving, which elevates the look of any custom logo design. Mugs with a custom logo are trendy picks for new employee welcome gifts, but wouldn’t you like to make a custom mug a little more special? Enter the Ember Laser Engraved 14 oz. Stainless Steel Temperature Control Mug. These custom mugs make any logo look sleek and elevated with custom laser engraving and a classic black aesthetic. Plus, it doesn’t just keep liquids hot: this mug keeps liquids at a steady temperature to ensure a perfect sip every time.
Custom Blankets
A custom blanket is a soft and cozy surprise that new hires will surely appreciate. Take them on a picnic, to the beach, or on a carriage ride, or keep them at home to get comfy. Kanata Blankets have several luxurious and affordable styles that satisfy even the pickiest person. Once you’ve picked out the perfect comfy blankets, see how your logo design is elevated with custom embroidery.
Custom Can Coolers and Koozies®
A great addition to any new employee welcome kit, custom Koozies® and can coolers are practical and can be used at work and at home. We have a wide variety of styles, like the Foldable Bottle Cooler, CamelBak 12 oz. Stainless Steel Vaccuum Insulated Can Cooler, and Koozie® Deluxe Collapsible Can Kooler. Our can coolers and Koozies® are available in dozens of colors, so customizing to your liking is a breeze.
Custom Lunch Bags and Coolers
Lunch bags and coolers are both practical and premium gifts, especially for new employees who may be traveling to and from the office. Check out the Carhartt 36 Can Duffel Cooler, which will have all of the space they need for lunches, plus an excellent bag to bring to the beach, a picnic, or tailgate party! For something a smaller but just as reliable, consider the Koozie® Six-Pack Kooler. It’s available in over 10 colors to add a dash of fun and create ultimate personalization.
Sustainable Gifts
If you’re looking to go sustainable for your new hire gifts, look no further! We have a wide and varied selection of custom sustainable apparel and accessories. A few of our favorite custom apparel items are Hanes EcoSmart 50/50 Hoodies, District Re-Tee T-shirts, and Atlantis Beanies. All of these are made from eco-friendly or recycled materials to ensure maximum sustainability. Sustainable drinkware is another great option. A reusable water bottle already saves us from constantly using plastic bottles, but you can take this earth-friendly practice a little further by using sustainable water bottles made from recycled materials! The CamelBak 20 oz. Eddy Tritan Renew Water Bottle is made from 50% recycled materials, and it’s shatter, stain, and odor resistant.
Stress-relieving Toys
According to The American Institute of Stress, evidence shows that toys, like stress balls, fidget spinners, and Rubik’s cubes, can help relieve stress, enhance productivity, and even support memory. So give your new employees a head start on curbing their stress with stress balls and Rubik’s cubes in their new employee welcome kit.
Snacks
Treat your new employees to some delicious snacks! Add your company logo to customize the gift bag that holds eight chewy, gooey, crave-worthy Milk Bar Cookies. See if you can decide between two scrumptious options: Compost Cookies contain pretzels, potato chips, coffee, chocolate chips, and butterscotch chips; or a fun spin on an old classic, Cornflake Chocolate Chip Marshmallow Cookies. Or just get both! If you’d rather get a salty snack, check out the What’s Pop’N Gourmet Popcorn Gift Set, which comes with its own food-safe silicone bowl and two seasoning shakers.
Custom Cheeseboard
Impress your new hires with more refined gifts, like custom Laser Engraved Black Marble Cheeseboards with a Set of Knives. The knives are easily stored in a drawer that slides out of the cheeseboard, so they’ll never be without the right tools. Go ahead and upgrade their trail mix to a fine selection of cheese and charcuterie!
Wine Lover’s Gift Bag
Pair the custom cheeseboard with this custom Wine Lover’s Gift Bag. Complete with a multi-purpose, stainless steel corkscrew, this bag holds up to two bottles of wine (or six cans). Perfect for picnics and dinner parties, this new employee welcome gift is sure to impress!
Gardening Gifts
Get them something unexpected but very fun and earth-friendly with the custom Modern Sprout Indoor Herb Garden Kit and the custom Modern Sprout One-for-One Tree Kit. Either of these unique welcome gifts will be memorable. Keep some fresh herbs at the office or even begin a fun tradition of planting a tree to celebrate every new hire. The possibilities are endless!
Custom Stickers and Decals
As we’re sure you’ve noticed, people put custom stickers on everything: cars, laptops, water bottles, phones, skateboards, notebooks, and pets! Okay, maybe not the last one, but we see them everywhere. Custom vinyl stickers and decals are a fun addition to any new employee welcome kit and a great way to boost brand awareness.
Custom Keychains
Custom keychains may seem like small new employee welcome gifts, but if you pick the right one it can be used for years to come. Make your custom keychains more memorable by choosing one that has another use, such as the Laser Engraved Aluminum Bottle Opener Keychain, Laser Engraved Large Carabiner Keychain, and Customized Touchless Door Opener with Stylus. Custom laser engraving also adds a sleek and professional look. These gifts are also great for pairing with other custom products.
Books Your Company Endorses
Immerse your new hires in your company’s culture by giving them a book you endorse or have found to be particularly impactful in shaping how you work. Some of our favorites are Give and Take: Why Helping Others Drives Our Success by Adam Grant, Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman, and Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action by Simon Sinek.
Send Out an Email Announcement to the Company
One of the easiest and most visible ways to make new employees feel welcome is to send out a company-wide announcement letting everyone know who they are and what they’ll be doing. Personalize the announcement by including a photo of them and some fun facts so that they stand out even more. Including some personal details also gives coworkers an opening to connect with them. If your company is predominantly remote, or if a new employee is remote, the email announcement is an especially great way to introduce them to the team and gives them an easy intro to meeting new coworkers.
Final Tip: Give Them Something They Want, Not Something They Need.
A gift will feel more like a gift if it’s something that they don’t need to use at work every day. Necessities for work should be given freely and without ceremony, but a gift that shows investment in your employees and demonstrates how much you value them can go a long way.