Guide to Writing Great Welcome Emails

A successful onboarding strategy has many elements; one very easy yet very effective step that all organizations must master is the welcome email to new employees. It’s important to write an authentic, engaging, clear and concise email or letter. Don’t worry, it’s not as difficult as you might think, although it is important to do it right.

In this blog, you’ll find a few handy templates that you can use to get started. Do keep in mind that there is always some room for flexibility and creativity, especially when it comes to the details of the organization.

Before we begin, let us first start with –

What is a Welcome Email? And why is it important?

The welcome email, as the name suggests, is the first official message that a new employee receives from the organization he has just joined. It is not just a way to verbalize how excited you are to work with this person, but it’s also a way of sharing an overview of what he needs to know and the subsequent next steps. If done really well, a welcome letter is also a good way for the employee to remember their start in the company later on.

Who Writes a Welcome Message?

The welcome letter has to be written by the manager so that it can start the relationship between manager and employee on a good note right from day one. By writing a genuine and friendly letter, the new employee will feel more engaged and trusting of the manager and thereby, the organization.

How to write the Welcome Email for New Employees?

The letter should evidently start with a welcome message to the employee. The next step of the letter, as explained by Harriet Peele, an HR Manager at Paper Fellows, is to introduce yourself.

Secondly, you should explain briefly your role in the organization. You can even share your own experience with the new employee to build trust between you, the manager, and the hire. However, be careful about not oversharing to save some of these discussions for in-person meetings.

The next part of the letter should explain the logistics of their first day, including where and what time to start, what to expect and prepare in advance. You may also share the details of the dress code if applicable.

Lastly, finish the letter with a short overview of the whole onboarding journey and how to become a full employee. Remember! This is certainly a good place to bring up the qualities of the employee that got them hired and how you see them fitting into the organization.

In other words, you should always be clear and professional in your welcome email for new employees.

Your welcome letter or email must be written clearly and professionally without mistakes, or you risk giving a poor impression on your new employees.

Below is a list of tools that can help you write the perfect email:

• Make sure you get started on the right path. You can refer to some writing guides if you wish.
• Use good editing tools that will scan your email and point out to you the errors in flow, structure, or consistency.
• You can also use grammar resources that will review your welcome email for any spelling or grammar mistakes.
• Don’t forget to proofread your message before sending it out to your new employees. You may also run it through your colleagues for better insights.

Here’s a sample Welcome Email Template for you!

It’s time to start writing your own welcome emails to new hires.