An employee onboarding kit should include a personalized welcome letter, one piece of quality branded apparel, a notebook, drinkware, at least one tech accessory, and bespoke socks, packed in branded eco-friendly packaging. The best kits balance practical items that equip a new hire with cultural items that make them feel part of the team from day one. Six well-chosen items beat fifteen average ones.

A new hire’s first impression of a company is not formed in their first meeting or their first Slack message. It is formed the moment they open their onboarding kit. That box sitting on their desk, or arriving at their door before day one, communicates how the company thinks about its people.

Most onboarding kits are assembled rather than designed. Someone orders a hoodie, a notebook, and a water bottle, drops them in a box, and ships them. That is fine. But fine does not build loyalty, does not get shared on LinkedIn, and does not make a new hire feel they made the right choice. This guide covers what to include, how to structure a kit by budget, how to handle remote teams, and 25 real examples from companies including Google, Slack, Nike, and Meta. For teams also thinking about apparel specifically, the guide to custom hoodies for branded swag is a useful companion.

What Should Be in an Employee Onboarding Kit?

A strong onboarding kit covers three needs: practical, so the new hire can do their job; cultural, so they feel part of the team; and personal, so they feel seen as a person rather than a headcount. The goal is not the most items. It is the right ones, chosen to make a new hire feel expected, equipped, and welcome.

1. A Personalized Welcome Letter

This is the single most important item in any onboarding kit, and the one most often done badly. A generic welcome card is worse than no card, because it signals the kit was assembled for a headcount rather than a person. A note that references the new hire’s specific role, background, or what the team is excited about communicates that someone stopped to think about them. Write it individually. Even at ten minutes per hire, the impact is worth it.

2. Branded Apparel

A premium hoodie, organic cotton tee, or quality sweatshirt is the cultural item that earns the most immediate daily visibility. When a new hire wears it to a coffee shop or on a video call, the brand travels with them. Quality matters here: a cheap branded tee communicates the same indifference as a generic welcome card. A well-made option like the Premium Hoodie in organic cotton sets the right tone.

3. A Quality Notebook

Notebooks get used from day one through every meeting and brainstorming session that follows. A well-made notebook with a customized or debossed cover communicates quality without shouting it. The Bespoke Hardcover Notebook with FSC-certified paper and a foil or debossed cover is the premium version; a standard hardcover in recycled paper is the volume option. Either beats nothing.

4. Branded Drinkware

A water bottle or tumbler earns permanent desk space, travels to meetings and commutes, and generates brand impressions every day. Options like the Stanley Quencher Tumbler, the Dopper Original, or the Active Bottle each say something different about a brand’s values. Choose the one that matches the brand rather than defaulting to whatever is cheapest.

5. Tech Accessories

A charging cable, a magnetic charger, or a powerbank solves an immediate daily problem. Tech accessories carry the highest perceived value per unit of any item in an onboarding kit and the highest daily use frequency. For remote employees especially, a 6-in-1 Charging Cable or laptop stand shows the company has thought about how they will actually work.

6. Bespoke Socks

This sounds like a small addition. It is not. Custom socks with brand colors and a logo woven into the fabric are consistently the most photographed and most shared item in any onboarding kit. They communicate personality and say the company has a sense of itself beyond a logo on a hoodie. Include them.

7. Eco-Friendly Packaging

The box is the first physical touchpoint. A branded mailer box or recycled paper fill that matches brand colors communicates quality before anything inside is seen. Non-recyclable packaging undermines any eco-friendly products within it. For sustainable options across every category, see the guide to eco-friendly corporate swag.

What Not to Include in an Onboarding Kit

The items below consistently underperform in new hire kits. They are not necessarily bad products; they are just wrong for this moment.

• Stress balls and novelty items. They communicate a lack of thought about the recipient’s actual daily life.

• Cheap branded pens. Pen quality is felt instantly. A cheap pen says the brand does not care about detail. If a pen goes in, make it a good one.

• Generic sweets without a story. Food works when it has a brand behind it or a sustainability angle. Generic supermarket sweets do not.

• Too many items. A kit with 15 items feels like a warehouse clearance. Six well-chosen items feel intentional. Choose fewer things and choose better.

Employee Onboarding Kit Budget Guide

The right budget depends on the seniority of the hire, the size of the program, and what the kit should communicate. This is a practical starting framework.

How to Build an Onboarding Kit for Remote Employees

Remote onboarding kits have a harder job than in-office ones. They arrive in someone’s personal space, competing with everything else in the home for attention and permanence. The quality bar is higher, relevance needs to be sharper, and timing matters more. For a full breakdown of products that work best at home, see the guide to remote work gifts and WFH swag.

Ship Before Day One

A remote kit that arrives after the first day has missed its moment. The new hire has already formed a first impression without any physical input from the company. Ship at least three working days before the start date and follow up to confirm delivery.

Prioritize Home Office Upgrades

The best remote kits include at least one item that genuinely improves the recipient’s working environment in a way they would not have bought themselves. A Felt Desk Pad, a Universal Laptop Stand, a magnetic charger, or a Full Color Mousemat all sit permanently on the desk and generate brand impressions in every video call.

Include Audio for Virtual Presence

For remote employees whose primary interface is a video call, audio quality is a meaningful upgrade. Quality headphones in a kit communicate that the company cares about how the new hire shows up professionally, not just how they feel about the brand.

Make the Welcome Letter Count More

In a home environment, the personalized note lands with more emotional weight than it does in an office. A generic card sent to a home is more obviously generic than one placed on an office desk. Write specifically: reference the role, the team, what the company is building, and what the hire brings. This single action separates a well-built remote kit from one that just happens to be well-packaged.

25 Real Employee Onboarding Kit Examples from Top Companies

These 25 examples show how the best brands turn a welcome kit into a brand statement. Some boxes are creative and unusual; others are traditional. What they share is that each captures the spirit of its company through product and design choices, reinforcing brand identity through logos on tumblers, notebooks, and tech, and reflecting culture through values like sustainability and wellbeing.

1. BCG Onboarding Kit

The consulting firm BCG welcomes new team members with a clean, professional set of branded swag. Each item, including a water bottle, cotton tote, insulated coffee cup, pen, and notebook, carries the company logo. Mints and hand sanitizer mean new hires are ready for client meetings immediately. The kit communicates professionalism above all, which aligns precisely with BCG’s brand.

2. Canon Onboarding Kit

Canon‘s welcome kit opens with a box designed to look like a camera, a brand statement before a single item is seen. Inside sit a polo shirt, flash drive, pencil, notebook, and sticker set, each positioned carefully. The meticulous presentation mirrors Canon’s reputation for precision in its core product line.

3. Brooks Onboarding Kit

Ready to join the Run Happy Team? Brooks offers a full running kit to encourage new employees toward fitness and active lifestyles. The box holds printed t-shirts, a hat, and sporty extras, all aligned with the brand’s ethos of health and happiness through running, and reinforcing a sense of belonging.

4. Google Onboarding Kit

The playful, practical items in the “Noogler Welcome Kit” mirror Google‘s innovative culture and encourage creativity among newcomers. The kit contains polka-dot socks, a t-shirt, a tea mug, and a water bottle, designed to make new hires feel part of the Google family while keeping the environment fun and engaging.

5. Meta Onboarding Kit

With items featuring the refreshed branding and company logo, Meta‘s kit works as both a welcome gesture and a symbol of the company’s evolution, inviting employees into its new chapter. The comfortable, work-from-home-friendly items help new hires feel part of the team even when away from the office.

6. L’Oréal Onboarding Kit

L’Oréal opted for a self-care pack that reflects its culture and values, encouraging new employees to prioritize wellbeing as they join. The wellness products support health and relaxation from day one, and every item, from the water bottle to the tote, is eco-sustainable, reflecting the brand’s commitment to sustainability.

7. Shopee Onboarding Kit

The signature orange hue and prominent logo on Shopee‘s kit communicate the brand’s energetic, dynamic culture and integrate new hires into its community fast. The box holds a t-shirt, tote, notebook, pen, and a leather ID tag holder, each branded to strengthen recognition. The items are practical and stylish enough that employees are proud to represent Shopee.

8. Aimbulance Onboarding Kit

This kit swaps the box for an alternative bag containing a water bottle, notebook, and pens. The standout is the “Care Book,” a guide with 100 tips for everyday work life, from setting up meetings to finding cookies. That thoughtful inclusion shows Aimbulance‘s dedication to supporting employees’ daily needs.

9. Just Eat Onboarding Kit

The choice of recycled materials for the kit’s items reflects Just Eat‘s dedication to sustainability, aligning new employees with the company’s environmental values from day one. The standout touch: a “cutting edge” tool for slicing pizza.

10. Uber Onboarding Kit

By combining branded wearables with practical items, Uber‘s welcome kit stays minimalist while the prominent logo reinforces brand identity. It includes a hoodie, a hat, a flash drive, a notebook, a pen, and a drawstring backpack. The functional, minimalist design reflects Uber’s efficient, modern approach.

11. Wrike Onboarding Kit

By pairing welcome gifts with recognition of hiring milestones, Wrike emphasizes employee recognition and an inclusive atmosphere for every new team member. New hires receive a cotton tote, a t-shirt, a pair of socks, a mug, a planner, a pen, and a pencil.

12. DigitalOcean Onboarding Kit

DigitalOcean, one of the most popular hosting providers in the world, does not let welcomes go unnoticed. New employees find balloons attached to their desks, plus packs of t-shirts, oversized plush slippers, metal water bottles, and office essentials to help them feel prepared.

13. SEGA Onboarding Kit

Adding a touch of nostalgia, Japanese video game company SEGA gives new hires bags, notebooks, a water bottle, a sticker, comics, and, as the icing, a portrait of Sonic. The playful kit reflects SEGA’s rich gaming history while the logo placements reinforce brand identity.

14. Element Three Onboarding Kit

Another strong example comes from Element Three, an American marketing agency. Its elephant mascot and logo appear across a color-coordinated set of stickers, a t-shirt, a pendant, a pen, notepads, and a water bottle. If a company has a mascot, this box is a template worth copying.

15. Ogilvy & Mather Onboarding Kit

One of the world’s best-known marketing and PR agencies, Ogilvy & Mather welcomes new hires with a stylish, aesthetic kit built around an exclusive copy of a secret red book written by founder David Ogilvy. The book is not sold in stores; it comes only with the job, a method that builds loyalty from an employee’s first steps.

16. Rocket Genius Onboarding Kit

A branded glass adds a personal, celebratory touch to the Rocket Genius kit, welcoming new hires in a way that suggests they are valued. The rest includes a cap, a sweater, a t-shirt, a mug, and stickers, combining practicality with a festive spirit.

17. Boxer Property Onboarding Kit

By choosing a stainless travel tumbler with the company logo, Boxer Property adds a practical element that sets its onboarding apart, promoting utility and everyday brand visibility. The kit also includes a formal polo instead of a typical t-shirt, a notebook and pen, and custom cards.

18. Percolate Onboarding Kit

Marketing technology company Percolate takes the tradition further. Before day one, new employees receive notebooks, pens, a mouse pad, and a stainless water bottle, plus a batch of homemade granola. The mix of practical items and personal touches helps new hires feel valued and prepared.

19. Boxed Onboarding Kit

Boxed delivers wholesale goods in boxes, so of course its welcome kit ships in a smaller version of the company’s signature box. Inside sit colorful desk items and office essentials like sticky notes.

20. Deloitte Onboarding Kit

Deloitte positions itself as a company that cares for its people through a pack of wellness products and ergonomic desk accessories. It includes an anti-stress ball, an elastic band for tense moments, branded drinkware, a pen, and a notebook, reflecting a commitment to wellbeing and productivity.

21. Apollo Onboarding Kit

Apollo ensures new hires can relax with a fluffy wearable blanket built for a cozy reading session. The unusual item reflects the company’s focus on comfort and employee satisfaction.

22. Branch Onboarding Kit

Branch, a mobile marketing service founded in 2014, welcomes new hires with swag displayed across their desks: folded clothes, notebooks, water bottles, and books arranged geometrically. The presentation makes new hires feel appreciated while the branded items reinforce identity.

23. Similarweb Onboarding Kit

Similarweb also displays the swag on the desk. The classic kit includes a branded t-shirt, socks, pen, chocolate, and a backpack, a simple, effective approach that leaves new hires ready and motivated.

24. Slack Onboarding Kit

Slack‘s kit mirrors its playful, collaborative culture with a vibrant laptop sleeve, an insulated drink bottle, a customized "My Paper HQ" notebook, and a candle labeled "A job well done." Welcome cards and QR codes for resources complete the set, helping new hires feel supported from day one.

25. Nike Onboarding Kit

The athletic spirit of Nike shows through in a sleek messenger bag, a drawstring pouch, a branded mug, and a Jordan notepad. Collector pins, stickers, a shoehorn, and engraved keychains round it out, reinforcing a culture of performance and bold innovation.

How to Build Your Own Onboarding Kit with Monday Merch

Monday Merch handles every step of the onboarding kit process: product selection, custom design, production, warehousing, and direct-to-address fulfillment across 65 countries. You brief the team once, the kits are held in the warehouse, and when a new hire joins, you share the address and the pack ships directly to their door, whether that is a London office or a remote employee’s home in Lisbon. These products consistently perform best across onboarding programs.

Apparel

A branded hoodie or tee is often the first thing a new hire reaches for, making it the most visible piece in any kit. Monday Merch offers custom apparel in a range of fits, fabrics, and colorways, printed or embroidered with a logo.

1. Premium Hoodie

The Premium Hoodie is 85% organic cotton and 15% recycled polyester, and the most mentioned unprompted positive-feedback item across onboarding programs.

2. Classic Hoodie

Built from a recycled and organic cotton blend, the Classic Hoodie sits at a more accessible price point for volume programs

3. Bespoke Socks

Fully customizable with brand colors and a logo woven into the fabric, the Bespoke Socks are the highest social-sharing item in any kit.

4. Premium Women’s T-Shirt

The Premium Women’s T-Shirt is 100% organic cotton in a women’s-specific cut, communicating that the kit was chosen for who the person is.

Desk and Home Office

Whether a new hire is setting up at headquarters or a kitchen table, a well-stocked desk and home office selection makes the workspace feel intentional.

5. Bespoke Hardcover Notebook

The Bespoke Hardcover Notebook pairs FSC-certified paper with a recycled cardboard cover and debossed or foil branding, the premium stationery choice for senior-hire kits.

6. Felt Desk Pad

Made from GRS-certified recycled felt, the Felt Desk Pad earns permanent workspace placement and the highest sustained daily brand visibility of any desk item.

7. Waterman Allure Set

The Waterman Allure Set is a genuine step above standard corporate pens and pairs with any notebook to create a premium desk set.

Tech Accessories

The tech accessories range covers the most-used items in any kit, from charging cables to laptop sleeves that new hires actually keep on their desks and in their bags.

8. 6-in-1 Charging Cable

Made from recycled aluminum and recycled plastic, the 6-in-1 Charging Cable replaces the cable tangle on every home desk immediately.

9. Universal Laptop and Tablet Stand

GRS-certified recycled aluminum with eight adjustable angles, the Universal Laptop and Tablet Stand is the ergonomic upgrade most remote workers mean to buy and never do.

10. Magnetic Wireless 15W Charger

The Magnetic Wireless 15W Charger delivers fast wireless charging and keeps a phone upright and visible throughout the workday.

Drinkware

A quality branded mug or bottle is a daily-use item that earns long-term visibility. The drinkware range covers insulated tumblers, ceramic mugs, and reusable bottles.

11. Dopper Original 450 ml

The Dopper Original uses a three-part construction with a lid that doubles as a cup, is BPA-free, and is conversation-starting by design.

12. Stanley Quencher Tumbler

Made from 100% recycled stainless steel, the Stanley Quencher Tumbler is the most culturally recognized drinkware product in corporate gifting right now.

13. Active Bottle 500 ml

The Active Bottle is 100% recycled PET, compact, and eco-credentialed, the volume drinkware option for large programs.

Onboarding Kit Products for Remote Employees

For remote hires, every product needs to earn its place in a home environment rather than an office. The additions below suit remote kits especially well. For a full breakdown of home office gifting, see the guide to remote work gifts and WFH swag

1. Full Color Mousemat

Visible in the background of every video call, the Full Color Mousemat delivers high brand visibility for zero ongoing cost.

2. Moleskine Smart Notebook

A recognized quality brand remote employees associate with professional thinking, the Moleskine Smart Notebook carries a stronger brand signal than a standard notebook.

3. Large Premium Candle

Soy wax in a reusable glass jar, the Large Premium Candle creates an atmosphere shift that earns immediate placement in the home workspace.

4. Fresh ‘n Rebel Noise Cancelling Headphones

With up to 30 hours of playback and ANC, the Fresh ‘n Rebel Noise Cancelling Headphones show the company invests in how remote employees show up on calls.

5. Soft Blanket

Made from GRS-certified recycled polyester, the Soft Blanket earns permanent placement for remote employees whose sofa or desk chair is their primary workspace.

How to Send Onboarding Kits at Scale

Managing a growing onboarding program by hand, ordering per hire and coordinating shipping and sizing exchanges, gets harder as teams grow. Monday Merch’s warehousing and distribution platform keeps stock centralized and ready to send whenever a new hire joins. Order once, share the recipient address when needed, and the team handles packing, shipping, customs documentation, and per-recipient tracking to over 65 countries. The same setup supports employee appreciation gifts throughout the year, so recognizing milestones does not mean rebuilding the process every time.

Ready to build an onboarding kit? Browse all onboarding products or get in touch with the Monday Merch team for free custom designs and a quote within 24 hours.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should be in an employee onboarding kit?

A strong onboarding kit includes a personalized welcome letter, branded apparel such as a hoodie or quality tee, a notebook, drinkware, at least one tech accessory, and bespoke socks. The best kits balance practical items that equip the new hire with cultural items that make them feel part of the team. Six well-chosen items beat fifteen average ones.

How much should you spend on an onboarding kit?

A useful range is under €50 for high-volume programs with frequent hiring, €50 to €100 for standard onboarding across most teams, €100 to €150 for mid-senior hires and tech teams with higher quality expectations, and €150 and above for senior and executive onboarding where the kit needs to match the role.

When should you send a new hire welcome kit?

A welcome kit should ideally arrive before the employee’s first day, or at the latest during their first week. For remote employees, sending it a few working days before they start helps them feel included before they officially join. For office teams, the kit can be placed on the desk as part of the first-day experience.

How do you send onboarding kits to remote employees?

Ship directly to the home address at least three working days before the start date. Prioritize items that improve the home office, such as a desk pad, a laptop stand, a charger, and quality headphones. Include a note that references something specific about the role. A warehousing and fulfillment platform handles delivery to any address worldwide.

What is the difference between an onboarding kit and a welcome pack?

The terms are often used interchangeably. In practice, an onboarding kit tends to mean the full set of materials a new hire receives, including documents, login credentials, and physical items. A welcome pack or welcome kit refers more specifically to the physical branded swag. This guide focuses on the physical branded element.

Should onboarding kits be the same for every employee?

A consistent base kit ensures everyone receives the same quality and cultural signal regardless of role. Tiering on top of the base makes sense for specific cases: a more premium kit for senior hires, a remote-specific kit for distributed employees, or a department-specific kit with role-relevant items. The base should be universal; the additions can be contextual.

How can companies manage onboarding kits at scale?

Companies can manage kits at scale by ordering stock in advance, storing it centrally, and shipping each kit on demand when a new hire joins. This avoids ordering from scratch every time and keeps the experience consistent across teams, countries, and hiring volumes. The same setup can also support appreciation gifts and milestone moments throughout the year.

What is the best welcome gift for a new employee?

The best welcome gift is one that feels chosen rather than assembled: a quality piece of apparel, a genuinely useful tech accessory, or a premium notebook, paired with a personalized welcome letter. Personalization matters more than price. An item that references the hire’s role or interests lands harder than a more expensive generic one.