Custom welcome messages that engage new hires (+templates)

Your welcome messages for new employees are the first real interaction they have with your organization. It’s your chance to show that your company culture isn’t just empty words.

A warm, personalized welcome helps boost employee satisfaction, making new hires feel valued and reassured about their decision to join you. It also gives them a sense of belonging – they’re joining a team that cares about them and wants them to succeed.

How a new hire feels welcomed has a tangible outcome on their success.

The issue is giving new hires that personal touch at scale – across every department, no matter how large you grow, and without creating hiccups in the onboarding process.

With strategic thinking—and AI—you can make every new hire feel supported and ready from day one. Use the tips in this guide to create effective custom welcome messages.

The role of welcome messages in employee integration

As with all things in business, First impressions matter. A BambooHR survey found that 70% of new hires decide if a job is right for them within the first month—29% do so within the first week. Your welcome message plays a key role during onboarding and preboarding.

A generic and bland welcome message for new employees makes them feel like a name on a spreadsheet or a cog in the machine, while a personalized message sets the right tone for a long-term working relationship.

The more the welcome message aligns with their new hire orientation process, the more it makes them feel like an individual. A clear, welcoming communication message that affirms their identity as an individual makes them 32% less likely to quit than if they received a more traditional “one-size fits all” onboarding approach.

Elements of a great welcome message

Learning how to welcome a new employee to the team sets a foundation of trust for the relationship. It’s also a chance for you to stand out as an employer. A Gallup poll showed that only 12% of employees strongly agree that their organization does a good job of onboarding.

Warm greeting

Start the message with a warm and inviting tone to let them feel that you’re looking forward to them joining your team.

• Step 1: Address the employee by name, “Hey there {{first name}}”, etc, to establish a personal connection
• Step 2: Express your excitement, e.g. “We’re thrilled to have you join our team!” It conveys genuine excitement and sets a positive tone
• Step 3: Mention their first day at work somewhere in the message to build anticipation: “We’re looking forward to seeing you on [Start date].”

Personalization

When it comes to making a personal welcome message, a little goes a long way.

• Step 1: Include their role and department in the message: “As the newest member of our HR and hiring team, we’re excited for the fresh perspective you’ll bring.” Tailoring the message to their role shows they’re joining a community.
• Step 2: Acknowledge the key contributions or milestones expected of them: “Your experience in finding software developer talent will be crucial for the success of our product launch.  Reassure them their skills and experience matter for their team’s success.

Practical information

Tell the new hire where to go and when to show up and show them how they’ll get started on their first day.

• Step 1: Provide any start-time logistics as part of your employee onboarding checklist, like where they need to be and when: “Please arrive at 9 a.m. and check in at reception.”
• Step 2: If the role is remote, give them their login instructions and Calendar invites to scheduled video welcome meetings.

Cultural integration

Drum home any company values to help set the right expectations for the new hire, e.g. “We pride ourselves on innovation and collaboration.” The new hire should understand how what they do contributes to the organization’s overall vision.

Open the floor for questions

Give the new hire a point of contact for HR communication if they have any concerns or questions before starting.

“If you have any questions before your first day, feel free to reach out to [Contact’s name] at [email] and they’ll be happy to help you!” That will help them feel connected before they start and have someone to come to if they need clarity or guidance.

Personalizing welcome messages for different roles

For the welcome message to come across as genuine and not like a mass-produced templated email, it should speak to the needs, responsibilities, and expectations of each department. Here’s how you can personalize welcome messages depending on the new hire’s role.

Tailor to departments

The welcome message you make should speak directly to what the new hire will be doing, and who they’ll be doing it with.

• Step 1: Research the needs and responsibilities of each department in your organization. For example, if someone is joining the marketing team, mention the campaigns they’ll be working on
• Step 2: For any technical roles, including the tools or platforms they’ll use e.g. Jira and GitHub
• Step 3: Mention any ongoing projects they’ll be working on, e.g. “You’ll be joining us right as we launch [project name], and your coding skills will help us make sure the product is the best it can be!”

Customize for remote and hybrid workers

Remote roles come with their own unique challenges, and that can be a weird place to be in. Adapting welcome messages for remote and hybrid workers can be equally as challenging and may need different kinds of information to have the right effect.

• Step 1: Acknowledge their unique circumstances and that they’re as much a part of the team as the in-office workers: “We know that onboarding for a remote role is different, so we scheduled some virtual coffee chats so you can get to know your team!” That lets them know that their situation is understood and supported.
• Step 2: Provide resources specific to their remote role like Slack channels or project management tools: “You’ll be added to our -office Slack channel for quick, one-off communications.”

Common mistakes to avoid in welcome messages

A warm and personalized welcome message can get a new hire fired up for their first day and be excited to start. On the other side of that equation, an impersonal or tone-deaf welcome message comes across as off-putting and even disrespectful.

Which tone it strikes makes a big difference in how your new hire sees their first interactions with you. To avoid that, here are some common mistakes to avoid in crafting welcome messages to be mindful of:

1. Being too generic: Bland, meaningless statements like “Welcome to the company” lack personality. Make it specific to what they do and the team they’ll be working with: “We’re excited to have you as the newest member of the [Department] team!” That helps give them a sense of belonging.
2. Overloading with information: Avoid cramming too many details into the message. Instead, front-load the most important information and give it in digestible chunks. Include follow-up emails with more specific information if you have to.
3. Tone mismatch: Match the tone to your company culture. For startups, keep it casual. In formal settings, maintain professionalism.
4. Lack of next steps: The welcome message should not just welcome them, but tell them what to expect next. Give clear instructions and include any checklists and onboarding materials they’ll need.

Use technology to craft and deliver messages

Sending personalized welcome messages or a small team of 20 to 50 people is one thing, but how do you maintain that level of individual attention when your company grows to 100, 1,000, or 10,000 people? 

Workable’s onboarding features can automate the process by pulling in key details like the hire’s role and department. This allows you to create tailored messages at scale without sacrificing quality. 

Automated tools also help schedule welcome messages at key times, such as a week before the start date, to maintain engagement. That not only reduces the burden on you and your HR team but keeps your onboarding process consistent.

Timing is everything when it comes to your welcome message. Workable’s HR onboarding scheduling tools can also automate the sending of welcome messages at key times during the onboarding process, whether it’s a week before their start date or the night before their first day.

Track metrics like open and reply rates to gauge how effective your welcome messages are, and whether new hires are responding to your emails. That will help you refine your approach and improve the onboarding process.

How welcome messages serve a holistic onboarding process

Your welcome message is the first step in a broader onboarding journey designed to reduce new hire anxiety and prepare them for success.

Consider weaving into the message what the next steps are in their onboarding. Let them know about any forthcoming introductions to the company’s workspace, or meetings with personal mentors.

Welcome messages are an opportunity to reinforce your organization’s cultural values. Consider including a quote or a short video from the CEO that speaks to your company’s mission.

Welcome message examples and templates

Creating personalized welcome messages across every department can be much easier if you have a new employee welcome email template to work from – even if you’re using AI and automation tools to help you. Here are a few you can use for different situations to get you started:

1. Formal welcome message

Dear [Name],

We are delighted to welcome you as the newest member of the [Department] team at [Company Name]. Your expertise in [specific skill/experience] will be invaluable as we continue our mission of [Company Goal]. We look forward to seeing your impact and supporting your growth within our organization. Please let us know if you have any questions before your start date.

Best regards,[Your name][Your title]

2. Humorous option

Hey there [Name],

Welcome to [Company Name]! We’re pumped to have you on board and can’t wait to see what you bring to the table—no pressure, but we’re expecting a lot of great ideas (and maybe some snacks for the office).

You’ll get a chance to meet the rest of the team during your first day—brace yourself, they’re a fun bunch.

We’ll see you soon!

[Your name]

[Your title]

3. Remote worker welcome message

Welcome to the team [Name],

We’re excited to have you as part of our virtual team! Even though you’ll be working from [Location], we’ll make sure you have everything you need to get started, including a virtual tour and team introductions via Zoom on your first day.

Don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions—you can always find us in the -office channel.

We look forward to e-meeting you soon!

[Your name]

[Your title]

4. Department-specific welcome message

“Welcome to [Department] at [Organization], [Name]!

We’re thrilled to have your [role-specific skills] join our [department] team. Your first project will be with [project lead], focusing on [specific project].

Feel free to explore our shared resources folder ahead of time to get familiar with our current work. Let us know if you need anything before you start!

Excited to have you on board,

[Your name]

[Your title]

Help your new hires get off to a good start

Welcome messages are vital in making new hires feel valued and like they’re part of the team. A good onboarding process makes a prepared and enthusiastic new hire. Prepared new hires to make a team. Teams working in cohesion make an organization.

Draft your own personalized welcome messages using the tips in this guide, and rely on templates and automation tools to deliver those across your teams no matter how big your organization gets.

Workable can help you give a personal touch to each new addition to any team, no matter how big you get or how much you grow. Schedule a demo, and see how Workable can help you make welcome messages that make new hires excited to work for you.