What is a new hire welcome letter?

Welcome letters or welcome emails for new employees introduce key team members and provide basic information to prepare the person for their first day on the job. Often, companies use a template they can quickly edit to reflect the new employee’s position and department rather than starting from scratch with each new hire.

The benefits of sending employee welcome letters

New employee welcome letters are a courteous, practical form of communication that supports benefits such as:

• Ensuring new hires feel welcome and more comfortable as they move into their role
• Increasing candidate confidence in your employment offer
• Preparing new employees for their first day
• Lowering risks of misunderstandings during the onboarding process

What to include in a welcome letter to new employees

While most welcome letters are simple, they should include essential details like supervisor names and links to important company documents or onboarding forms.

Generally, your company’s new employee welcome letter may include:

• A welcome statement: Start with a friendly message that makes the employee feel appreciated and excited about joining the team.
• Your name and position: Include your role so the new hire knows who the message is from and how to contact you if they have questions.
• Basic need-to-know information: Share essentials like the office location, parking instructions or login information for remote employees.
• A reminder of the employee’s start date and time: Confirm when and where a new hire should arrive on their first day.

You may also want to provide these items:

• Orientation or onboarding schedule: Outline what the employee can expect on the first few days.
• Immediate colleagues’ names and positions: Help new hires get to know other team members by providing a list of relevant staff before their official first day.
• A sample daily schedule: Present a workday itinerary once onboarding is complete.
• Links to onboarding forms: Ensure new hires have direct access to any paperwork they may need to complete, particularly if you want them to do so ahead of their first day.
• Links to the employee handbook: Make sure new employees can easily reference company policies.
• Links to employee tools and resources: Share logins or guides for systems they may use regularly.

How to create a welcome letter or welcome email for new employees

Follow these steps to create your company’s employee welcome letter:

1. Determine your goals

Beyond congratulating the employee, determine what specific information you need to share before their first day. Collaborate with department leadership to determine what specific details or goals they want to include in the letter.

2. Outline the letter

An outline lists all the information to include in the letter. You can present outlines to other collaborators, like department managers, to ensure the drafted letter includes all pertinent details.

3. Write a warm introduction

Start your letter by welcoming the employee to the company and team. Congratulate them on their new role and mention specific qualities they bring to the team.

4. Introduce yourself

Describe your role within the company and explain how they might interact with you once they start. Provide contact information in this paragraph or with your signature at the end of the letter so the new employee can follow up with questions if needed.

5. Provide need-to-know information

Provide essential first-day details and share links to necessary onboarding documents. Be sure to include start time, first-day expectations, dress code and policies that might be relevant during the first few days.

6. Personalize as needed

Include any other information that might help the person get comfortable before their first day on the job. For example, you could add an organizational chart, a link to the employee handbook and details about how to sign up for health insurance and other benefits.

7. Wrap up the letter

End the letter with your signature. Add practical tips to help them prepare, such as notes on the team’s favorite local coffee or lunch spots.

Welcome letter template

Templates can simplify the process of writing employee welcome letters. Here’s one you can easily customize:

[Date]

Dear [new employee name],

Welcome to [company name]! We’re excited for you to join us. Your [short list of skills and accomplishments] makes you the perfect fit for [name of position].

We met during your interview, but let me introduce myself again. I’m [your name], and I’ll be your [relationship to new employee]. Feel free to reach out to me with any questions during the onboarding process.

As discussed, your first workday will be [start date] at [start time]. Please bring two forms of identification and be prepared to complete onboarding paperwork. You’ll also meet with your direct manager, [direct manager name], and review your responsibilities. If there’s time, we hope to introduce you to [related departments]. As you might have noticed during your interview, our office dress code is [dress code].

Your new colleagues are excited to welcome you to the team in person. [Colleague name] and [colleague name] will be great resources for you during your first few weeks on the job. You’ll meet them during onboarding.

Don’t hesitate to reach out at [your preferred method of contact] with any questions about your first day. We look forward to seeing you on [start date]!

Sincerely,

[Your name]

[Your position]

Welcome letter examples

Here is a welcome letter sample using the provided template:

January 1, 2026

Dear Janett,

Welcome to Cold River Optical! We’re so excited for you to join us. Your attention to detail, impressive focus and previous experience with Copper Mill Software make you the perfect fit for our editor position. We look forward to seeing how your skills impact our editing team.

We met during your interview, but let me introduce myself again. I’m Meg Fee, and I’ll be your go-to HR representative. Feel free to reach out to me with any HR-related questions during the onboarding process. I can also help direct you to other folks in the office who can help answer job-related questions if needed.

As discussed, your first workday will be September 5 at 8:30am. Please bring two forms of identification and be prepared to complete onboarding paperwork. You’ll also meet with your direct manager, Sam Kirwa, and review your responsibilities. If there’s time, we hope to introduce you to the senior editing team. As you might have noticed during your interview, our office dress code is business casual.

Your new colleagues are excited to welcome you to the team in person. Birikti Neftalem and Charlotte Burt will be great resources for you during your first few weeks on the job. You’ll meet them during onboarding.

Don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions about your first day. We look forward to seeing you on September 5!

Sincerely,

Meg Fee

Head of Human Resources

Example of welcome email for new employee

Subject: Welcome to the Cold River Optical team!

Dear Sam,

We met during your interview, but I’d like to introduce myself again. My name is Meg Fee, and I’m the Head of Human Resources at Cold River Optical. I wanted to reach out and congratulate you personally on your new position as a junior editor!

Your previous work experience as a copy editor at Copper Mill Software, plus your extensive knowledge of the AP Stylebook, makes you a crucial asset for our company. We are thrilled to have you join the team!

Your first day of work will be March 28th at 8:30am. Please bring two forms of identification and be prepared to complete onboarding paperwork. You’ll also meet with your direct manager, Charlotte Burt, to review your daily responsibilities. If there’s time, you may meet with the senior editing team. As you might have noticed during your interview, our office dress code is business casual.

Please check the attached employee handbook and style guide. Occasionally, new hires appreciate reviewing these documents beforehand, but it’s not a requirement. Don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions about your first day. We look forward to seeing you on March 28th!

All the best,

Meg Fee

Head of Human Resources

Personalizing your welcome letters

While templates save time, small personal touches can make your welcome letters feel more genuine. Mentioning the employee’s future team, specific skills they bring or company traditions they might soon experience can help them feel included right away.

Building personalization into your templates balances efficiency with making new hires feel valued from day one.

Welcome letter templates for PDF & Word

Download these welcome letter templates to welcome new hires to the team and offer onboarding information.