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A practical guide to welcoming new employees with messages, emails, gift ideas, and team strategies that actually work.
The day a new hire joins is rarely calm or perfectly planned.
HR teams are juggling onboarding checklists, access requests, and packed calendars. Managers are often in the middle of deadlines or important meetings. The new employee arrives with excitement, but also questions, nerves, and uncertainty about where to sit, whom to talk to, and what is expected of them.
In the middle of all this, creating a warm, thoughtful welcome can feel harder than it should.
But those first few days matter more than we often realize. Most employees decide how long they will stay within their first few months, and research shows that 86% of employees make up their mind about staying with a company within the first six months, largely based on their onboarding and early experience. What happens, or does not happen, during that time leaves a lasting impression.
Companies that invest in strong onboarding and welcoming practices see up to 82% higher retention and 70% higher productivity among new hires. In other words, a thoughtful welcome does not just make people feel good. It directly impacts whether new employees feel confident, ramp up faster, and commit for the long term.
That is why welcoming a new employee needs to be intentional, human, and shared across the team, even on busy days. Sometimes, it is as simple as a small announcement post to introduce the new hire, paired with a few welcome points they can redeem later through an employee engagement platform like Assembly.
These small, visible gestures can go a long way in easing first-day nerves and giving new hires an early reason to feel appreciated and excited to be there.
This guide on welcoming a new employee is to help with exactly that. Practical messages, emails, gifts, and best practices to help you welcome new employees in a way that works for HR, managers, and teams, and makes everyone’s day a little easier.
You should welcome a new employee by making them feel comfortable, included, and confident enough to contribute. When the welcome feels intentional, new hires settle in faster and build trust in the team.
The best team welcome moments are simple, human, and shared. Instead, they create a small but meaningful moment where the new employee feels noticed by the people they’ll actually work with.
A team-wide welcome message is the first signal to make the new hire feel like they belong right away. This could be a short post in Slack, Teams, or a group email introducing who they are and what they’ll be working on.
You can use Assembly's automated milestone celebrations feature that pull new hire data directly from your HRIS and post welcome messages automatically on day one. You can customize the message with your company logo, set welcome points, and even coordinate swag delivery all without manual tracking.
Encourage teammates to introduce themselves, send quick notes, or invite the new employee to informal conversations. These small interactions help replace first-day nerves with familiarity.
You can assign a buddy or point of contact, which can also make a big difference, especially in larger or remote teams.
New employees are already taking in a lot. Tools, processes, names, meetings. So balance all that with an actual human connection.
A casual coffee chat, lunch, or quick virtual meet-and-greet helps people to relax. When someone feels comfortable, they’re way more likely to ask questions and get up to speed faster.
When a new hire does something well, even something small, call it out. A quick thank-you, shoutout, or welcome message shared publicly helps build confidence early on.
You don’t need to wait weeks to recognize effort. Early encouragement builds confidence and sends a clear message: what you do here matters.
Assembly makes recognition visible from day one, so early wins don’t get buried in DMs, and everyone on the team can see and celebrate progress.
A good welcome doesn’t end after the first day. Check in after the first week. Ask how things are going. Make sure they know where to go for help.
When you keep showing up past day one, people feel supported instead of forgotten. And that’s what helps them stick around and really settle in.
The next step is knowing what to say. The right message can reinforce everything you’ve already started. Below are practical, ready-to-use welcome messages for new employees and staff you can share across emails, chats, and team announcements.
You’ll find ready-to-use welcome messages for different situations, from short team greetings to messages from managers and peers.
These examples are designed to sound natural, so you can easily adapt them for emails, Slack, team chats, or internal announcements.
A short welcome message might seem small, but it’s often the first signal a new staff member gets about where they truly belong. A few thoughtful words can instantly ease nerves and set a positive tone for day one.
These short welcome messages are designed to be quick, genuine, and easy to share in Slack, email, or a team channel.
1. Welcome! Really glad you’re here 😊
2. Hey, welcome to the team! Excited to work with you.
3. So glad you’ve joined us. Hope your first day goes well.
4. Welcome aboard! Shout if you need anything at all.
5. Happy first day! Take your time getting settled.
6. Welcome! Don’t worry about everything at once. You’ll get the hang of it.
7. Great to have you here. Looking forward to working together.
8. Welcome to the team 👋 Hope your first week feels smooth.
9. Hey, welcome! We’re happy you’re here.
10. Welcome! Take it easy today and reach out if you need help.
A manager’s welcome sets the tone for how safe, supported, and confident a new hire feels as they step into their role. These welcome messages help managers strike a balance between professional and human.
11. Welcome! I’m really glad you’re here. We’ll take things step by step, and I’m here whenever you need help.
12. Happy first day. Don’t worry about getting everything right away. We’ll figure things out together.
13. Welcome aboard. Ask questions early and often. That’s how we do things here.
14. I’m excited to have you on the team. We hired you for how you think, not because you know everything already.
15. Welcome! The first few weeks are all about learning, so take your time and settle in.
16. Great to have you here. My job is to support you and help you succeed, so please reach out anytime.
17. Welcome to the team. You bring something new here, and I’m looking forward to seeing it in action.
18. Really happy you’ve joined us. Let’s focus on getting comfortable first - the rest will follow.
19. Welcome! Fresh perspectives are valuable here, so don’t hesitate to share your thoughts.
20. Glad to have you on the team. If something feels unclear or overwhelming, just let me know.
Peer welcome messages break the ice, lower the pressure, and remind new hires that they’re joining a team of real people, not just roles and processes. These welcome messages are meant to convey a casual, friendly, and natural tone.
21. Welcome to the team. We’re delighted you’re here and look forward to see you jump in and make things better.
22. So happy you’re joining us. You picked a great team, and we’re looking forward to working with you.
23. Welcome aboard. Don’t worry, we all asked a million questions when we started, too.
24. Glad to have you with us. Looking forward to getting to know you and working together on some exciting projects.
25. Welcome to the team. You’re joining a group that loves good ideas, honest conversations, and helping each other out.
26. It’s great to have you here. Hope your first week is full of friendly faces and fewer awkward login issues.
27. Welcome. We’re excited to learn from you and see how your experience shapes the work we do.
28. So glad you’ve joined us. Looking forward to collaborating and celebrating some wins together soon.
29. Welcome to the team. If you ever feel stuck or unsure, please don’t hesitate to ask. Someone here has definitely been there before.
30. Happy to welcome you. I am looking forward to work together and get to know you better as you settle in.
A thoughtful welcome helps ease the internal transition and reinforces that this move is a fresh start, not just a change in reporting lines. These messages acknowledge the experience internal hires bring while welcoming them into a new dynamic.
31. Welcome to the team! We’re really glad you’re here and excited to work together.
32. So happy you’re joining us. You know the company already - now we get to know you better.
33. Welcome aboard! New team, new work, and plenty of familiar faces along the way.
34. Glad to have you with us. Moving teams isn’t always easy, and we’re happy you chose this one.
35. Welcome to your new corner of the company. The people are friendly and the work keeps things interesting.
36. Great to have you here. You bring valuable context and a fresh perspective at the same time.
37. Welcome! You know how things work around here, and we’ll help you get comfortable with how this team does things.
38. Happy to welcome you. Looking forward to learning from your experience and building something together.
39. Welcome to the team. Transitions take time, so no rush - we’ve got you.
40. Really glad you made the move and joined us. Excited for what’s ahead.
A warm welcome from employees to new managers helps establish trust early and shows that collaboration goes both ways. It’s an opportunity to set a tone of openness, respect, and shared responsibility.
41. Welcome! We’re really glad to have you here and looking forward to working together.
42. So glad you’re joining us. Excited to learn from you and figure things out as a team.
43. Hi and welcome! Looking forward to getting to know you and working together.
44. Welcome aboard! We’re excited to start this next chapter with you.
45. Welcome to the team. We value open communication and teamwork, and we’re happy to have you with us.
46. Great to have you here. Looking forward to your perspective and leadership.
47. Welcome! We’re a collaborative group and always happy to share context or ideas.
48. Excited to have you with us. We work closely as a team and keep things pretty open.
49. Welcome aboard! Looking forward to working together and getting started.
50. Glad you’re here. We’re excited to build good things together.
Receiving welcome messages on your first day feels great, but knowing how to respond can feel surprisingly tricky. You want to sound grateful without being overly formal, confident without seeming presumptuous, and friendly without crossing professional boundaries.
A simple, genuine response that acknowledges the welcome and shows appreciation is more than enough. The goal is to respond warmly, keep it brief, and signal that you're approachable and ready to engage with the team.
When replying to welcome messages, new hires should:
Here are practical examples of how new hires can reply to different types of welcome messages:
A welcome email is the first personal touchpoint a new employee has with your company. Before meetings, tools, or onboarding schedules begin, this message helps reduce first-day nerves and sets a positive tone from the start.
The welcome emails should convey a sense of thoughtfulness and humanity.. You should focus on connection, not information overload, and reassure new hires that support is readily available.
A strong new employee welcome email should:
Below are the 5 best welcome message email templates you can use to greet new employees with warmth, clarity, and the right tone from day one.
Subject: Welcome to the team, [Name]
Hi [Name],
Welcome to the team. We’re really glad you’re here and excited to have you join us.
Your first few days will be focused on settling in, meeting people, and getting comfortable. If you have any questions at all, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
Looking forward to working together.
Best,
[Sender Name]
Subject - Please welcome [Name] to the team
Hi everyone,
I’m please to introduce [Name], who will join us as [Role] starting [Start Date].
[Name] brings experience in [brief skill or background] and will be working closely with the [Team/Department]. Over the next few weeks, you’ll see them joining meetings and getting up to speed.
Please take a moment to say hello and help make them feel welcome.
Welcome to the team, [Name]. We’re glad to have you with us.
Best,
[Sender Name]
Subject - Welcome to the team, [Name]
Hi [Name],
Welcome to the team. We’re really glad you’re here.
Your first few days will focus on getting settled, meeting the team, and becoming familiar with our work processes. There’s no expectation to know everything right away. This time is about learning, asking questions, and finding your rhythm.
You’ll find your onboarding details below. If anything feels unclear, please reach out. We’re here to support you.
Looking forward to working together,
[Sender Name]
Subject - Welcome to the team, [Name]
Hi [Name],
Welcome to the team. Even though we may not all be in the same place, we’re excited to have you join us.
Over the next few days, you’ll receive invites to meet teammates and become familiar with our tools and workflows. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you need help or just want to connect.
We’re glad you’re here and looking forward to working together.
Best,
[Sender Name]
Subject - Welcome to [Company Name]
Hi [Name],
On behalf of everyone at [Company Name], welcome. We’re pleased to have you join us and look forward to your contributions.
Your onboarding information and key resources are outlined below to help you get started. If you have any questions before or after your start date, the HR team is here to support you.
We wish you a smooth and successful beginning with us.
Kind regards,
[HR Name]
Welcoming every new employee consistently sounds simple, but in practice it often slips through the cracks. Someone forgets to post in Slack, the message gets buried, or a new hire joins quietly without much notice.
Assembly's welcome bot eliminates that uncertainty by automatically introducing new hires to the team the moment they start.
At 9 AM company time on day one, Assembly pulls new hire data from your HRIS and posts a branded welcome message directly to Slack or Microsoft Teams. The entire team sees it instantly. Colleagues can react, reply, and introduce themselves right away.
The new employee doesn't have to wonder if anyone noticed they arrived as they're immediately visible, valued, and welcomed into the community.
Assembly's welcome bot runs on autopilot once you set it up:
Book a demo call to see how Assembly makes it easy is to automate recognition across your company using
Welcome gifts aren’t a mandatory requirement, and skipping them won’t break your onboarding experience. But when planned thoughtfully, they can add a personal touch that makes a new employee feel considered before they even get started.
A simple welcome gift shows that you prepared for their arrival and thought about how to make their first days a little easier. When used intentionally, welcome gifts can quietly reinforce belonging and leave a positive first impression.
Here are the 21 best welcome gift ideas for new employees that make employees feel appreciated, supported, and excited to start from day one.
These gifts help new employees get set up quickly and feel prepared from day one. They’re simple, functional, and appreciated by everyone.
When employees work from home, flexibility matters. These gifts are easy to deliver and support comfort, productivity, and connection across locations.
A personal touch goes a long way during a new hire’s first week. Personalize gifts show intention and make employees feel genuinely welcomed, not just onboarded.
Culture isn’t explained, it’s experienced. These gifts reflect your team’s personality and help new employees feel like part of the group early on.
Thoughtful, low-cost gestures can still make new employees feel valued and included.
A thoughtful welcome is the foundation for employee engagement, trust, and long-term retention. When you take the time to intentionally welcome new employees, you’re sending a clear message: you matter here.
Assembly ensures every new hire gets the same warm welcome, automatically.
Beyond welcoming new hires, Assembly helps you recognize early wins, encourage peer appreciation, and keep employees feeling valued as they grow into their roles. When recognition is visible, frequent, and easy, people stay longer, contribute more, and do their best work.
Start strong with your welcome, and use Assembly to keep that momentum going long after day one.
Book a demo with the Assembly team and see how easy it is to recognize and support your team from day one.
Get the foundational knowledge on creating an employee recognition program that boosts employee engagement and helps them feel valued.
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