What is a new hire welcome letter?

Businesses provide new employees with a document called 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.

What to include in a welcome letter to new employees

Most welcome letters are fairly simple, but they’re packed with important details such as links to important company documents, onboarding forms and other resources.

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

• A welcome statement
• Your name and position
• Basic need-to-know information
• A reminder of the employee’s start date and time

You may also want to provide these items:

• Orientation or onboarding schedule
• Immediate colleagues’ names and positions
• A sample daily schedule
• Links to onboarding forms
• Links to the employee handbook
• Links to employee tools and resources

The benefits of sending employee welcome letters

A welcome letter for new employees is a courteous and practical form of communication. By welcoming your new hire to the company, they will feel more secure about their decision to accept your offer. New hires will generally feel better prepared and more excited for their first day if they’ve been warmly greeted in advance by a representative of the team. Additionally, a welcome letter gives you the opportunity to convey important information about company policies and procedures to make the onboarding process as smooth as possible.

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

Begin by establishing the goal of the welcome letter. Beyond congratulating the employee on their new position, what information do you hope to impart? You may want to collaborate with leadership in each department to see if they have insight about what to include.

2. Outline the letter

The outline of the employee welcome letter maps out all the necessary information. Because your letter will be relatively short, this can take the form of a simple list that sketches out your main points. 

3. Write a warm introduction

Start your letter by welcoming the employee to the company and team. Express your congratulations about their new role with your business and your excitement about all the wonderful qualities they’ll bring to your team. 

 4. Introduce yourself

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

5. Provide need-to-know information

Give the employee the necessary information regarding their first day on the job and direct them to documents and forms they need for onboarding. Be sure to include start time, first-day expectations, dress code and policies that might come into place during the first few days.

6. Personalize as needed

Include any other information you might want to include in your new hire packet that would 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. Don’t forget to add last-minute tips that could help the employee prepare for their first day on the job, like notes about the team’s favorite coffee and lunch spots in the neighborhood.

Welcome letter template

Templates can make the employee welcome letter writing process simple and painless. Here’s a template welcome letter you can easily customize:

[Date] 

Dear [new employee name], 

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

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

As discussed, your first day of work will be [start date] at [start time]. Please bring two copies of identification and be prepared to complete onboarding paperwork. You will also sit down with your direct manager, [direct manager name], and go over your daily responsibilities. If there’s time, we hope to have you meet with [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 and can ask any specific questions you have during that time and in the coming weeks.  

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 letters examples

Here is a welcome letter sample using the provided template: 

March 7, 2021 

Dear Daniel,  

Welcome to Atlas Publishing! We are so excited for you to join us. Your attention to detail, impressive focus and previous experience with Hollinger & Michaelson make you the perfect fit for our junior 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 am Deb Elliot, 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 day of work will be March 28th at 8:30am. Please bring two copies of identification and be prepared to complete onboarding paperwork. You will also sit down with your direct manager, Harry Arnold, and go over your daily responsibilities. If there’s time, we hope to have you meet with the senior editing team. As you might have noticed during your interview, our office dress code is casual but professional. 

Your new colleagues are excited to welcome you to the team in person. Alex Anderson and Pat Bawany will be great resources for you during your first few weeks on the job. You’ll meet them during onboarding and can ask any specific questions you have during that time and in the coming weeks. 

Don’t hesitate to reach out at deb.ell@atlaspub.biz with any questions about your first day. We look forward to seeing you on March 28th!  

Sincerely,

Deb Elliot

Head of Human Resources 

Example of welcome email for new employee 

Subject: Welcome to the Atlas Publishing team! 

Dear Daniel,  

We met during your interview, but I’d like to introduce myself again. My name is Deb Elliot, and I am the head of human resources at Atlas Publishing. 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 Hollinger & Michaelson, plus your extensive knowledge of the AP Stylebook, makes you a crucial asset to our company. We are thrilled to have you join the team!  

I’m happy to confirm that your first day of work will be March 28th at 8:30am. Please bring two copies of identification and be prepared to complete onboarding paperwork. You’ll also sit down with your direct manager, Harry Arnold, and go over your daily responsibilities. If there’s time, we hope to have you meet with the senior editing team. As you might have noticed during your interview, our office dress code is casual but professional.  

Please see 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 at deb.ell@atlaspub.biz with any questions about your first day. We look forward to seeing you on March 28th! 

All the best,

Deb Elliot

Head of Human Resources 

Welcome letter FAQs

Here are answers to some of the most common questions about welcome letters. 

When should I send the welcome letter?

You should ideally send the welcome letter right after the new employee has signed their offer letter or contract. This way, they have contact with your company between officially accepting the position and onboarding. They’ll also have resources and company contact information on hand in case they have questions. 

Who should the welcome letter be from? 

The welcome letter can be from any top-level member of the company, which may depend on the position the new employee will be taking. Often, welcome letters are from a member of the human resources team, but they can also be from department heads or even the company’s CEO.  

Why is a welcome letter important?

Welcome letters are less formal than offer letters or contracts, and they provide new employees with important information leading up to their first day of work. Think of a welcome letter as the first step in establishing a positive rapport with the new employee.  

How should I send the welcome letter to new employees? 

How the letter is sent can depend on what information is included and how quickly you want the employee to receive it. Welcome letters are often sent through email so that links to online resources, such as the employee handbook or a company-wide messaging app, are easily accessible. Some companies prefer to send the welcome letter through the mail for a more personal touch.