21 Ideas for New Employee Welcome Gifts
Posted By Stephanie Self —
Stephanie Self loves to tell stories and expose new perspectives through writing. When she's not typing on a laptop or buried in a book, she loves watching horror movies and pro wrestling, playing video games, and snuggling with her cat, CleoCatra. Lest you should think she never sees the light of day, she also spends time practicing hot yoga, hiking, and traveling.
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The best welcome gifts for new employees are things they use every week. Think branded apparel, a water bottle, a bag, and a few desk items. We make custom apparel and custom gifts for teams of every size, including custom employee gifts. A gift or welcome kit shows a new hire that your company is invested in them. There are also many ways to make new employees feel welcome beyond gifts. Below are 21 ideas, grouped by type, plus what new hires told us they want most.
In This Article
- What do new hires want in a welcome kit?
- What apparel and bags make good welcome gifts for new employees?
- Which desk and tech gifts help new hires settle in?
- Which drinkware and everyday gear do new hires use most?
- What fun extras can you add to a welcome kit?
- How else can you welcome a new employee?
- What do you send a remote new hire?
- How do you build a new hire welcome kit?
- New Employee Welcome Gifts FAQ
Key Takeaways
- Water bottles and tumblers top the wish list. In our 2026 Employee Onboarding Experience Audit, 43% of 303 employees put one in their top three kit items, ahead of totes and backpacks (36%) and hoodies and tech accessories (34% each).
- Timing matters. Of employees whose kit arrived on Day 1, 34% said they completely belonged from Day 1. For those whose kit came late, the figure was 15%.
- Send one everyday item and one treat. A water bottle or tote gets used every week. A treat they would not buy themselves shows you thought of them.
What do new hires want in a welcome kit?
We asked 303 employed professionals, all new hires within the last five years, to pick their top three kit items. The results come from our 2026 Employee Onboarding Experience Audit, fielded in March 2026.
| Kit item | Picked in top three | Idea in this post |
|---|---|---|
| Water bottle or tumbler | 43% | 7 |
| Tote bag or backpack | 36% | 2 |
| Branded hoodie or sweatshirt | 34% | 1 |
| Tech accessories (phone stand, charger, cable organizer) | 34% | 4, with 5 as a related pick |
| Branded t-shirt | 32% | 1 |
| Gift card or voucher for employer swag | 29% | Not in this list |
| Personalized welcome note from leadership | 24% | Not in this list |
| Notebook and pen set | 19% | 3 |
| Snacks or branded food | 19% | 13 |
| Company culture guide or booklet | 18% | Not in this list |
| Stickers or patches | 11% | 17 |
Timing counts as much as the item. Among employees whose kit arrived on Day 1, 34% said they completely belonged from Day 1. Among those whose kit came late, 15% said the same.
Kits also change how onboarding feels. Of 175 respondents who had worked with and without a kit, 80% rated the kit onboarding as better. The welcome gifts for new hires below cover each product item in the table. A gift card, a welcome note, and a culture guide also ranked, and they are not in our 21 ideas.
What apparel and bags make good welcome gifts for new employees?
1. Custom Apparel
Branded apparel is the easiest welcome gift to get right. Custom t-shirts with your logo put a new hire in the same shirt as everyone else at the next event or social. Bella + Canvas long sleeve t-shirts and Comfort Colors short sleeve t-shirts are soft, comfortable, and flattering.
In cooler months, custom hoodies and sweatshirts make a cozy choice. Carhartt hoodies are durable, so they suit outdoor work and the commute. Nike pullovers and performance fleece suit a high-performing team.
Not sure about style yet? Pick a hat. Hats are casual and practical, and you skip the sizing question. We like custom trucker hats from New Era, custom Nike hats, and custom beanies from New Era and Port & Company.
2. Custom Backpacks and Totes
Remote hires still head into the office or work from a cafe now and then. A backpack or tote goes with them. Browse our Timbuk2 and North Face backpacks for styles that move easily from home to the office to the gym.
For totes, the Recycled Cotton Convention Tote Bag is an eco-friendly option. The Essential Zip Convention Tote Bag holds gym gear, work files, or conference swag.
Which desk and tech gifts help new hires settle in?
3. Custom Office Supplies
Custom branded pens belong in every welcome kit. A pen that writes smoothly gets used daily. We like the Pilot G2 Premium Gel Roller Pen for its quality and the Papermate InkJoy Click Pen for its color range.
Custom notebooks with a pen make a good pair. The Eco-Spiral Notebook with Pen is the sustainable choice. The Function Erasable Notebook with Pen uses reusable paper, so notes can be erased, scanned, and shared.
4. Tech Accessories
Give new hires a head start on their home office. The Woven Fabric Bluetooth Speaker works on a desk, at a picnic, or at the beach. The Laser Engraved Plank 5,000 mAh Bamboo Wireless Power Bank keeps devices charged all day. Gear like this makes a strong welcome gift for remote workers. It helps them feel part of the team right away.
5. Custom Headphones
Headphones get used at home, in the office, and at the gym. Hush Active Noise Cancelling Bluetooth Headphones help a new hire focus on the task at hand. Prefer earbuds? Try the Full Color Braavos Wireless Charging Bluetooth Earbuds. Both are premium gifts that stay useful at work.
6. Blue Light Filtering Glasses
New hires may spend hours at a screen. Harvard Health notes that blue light at night suppresses melatonin. Blue light filtering glasses are a thoughtful addition to the kit for anyone who works at a computer all day.
Which drinkware and everyday gear do new hires use most?
7. Custom Drinkware
Custom water bottles branded with your logo and tumblers are always a hit, and they led the wish list in our survey. Arctic Zone drinkware includes copper vacuum insulated bottles and tumblers. MiiR drinkware includes vacuum insulated bottles, tumblers, and mugs, with laser engraved styles that give your logo a polished look.
Want a mug that feels more special? Try the Ember Laser Engraved 14 oz. Stainless Steel Temperature Control Mug. You set the temperature on the mug or in the Ember app. It is a premium pick, with the price shown on November 12, 2026 starts at $293.25 per item, with a minimum order of 3.
8. Custom Blankets
A custom blanket is a soft surprise that new hires will use at home or on a picnic. Kanata blankets come in several styles for different tastes. Add your logo with custom embroidery for a finished look.
9. Custom Can Coolers and Koozies®
Custom Koozies® and can coolers work at the office and at home. Our styles include the Foldable Bottle Cooler, the CamelBak 12 oz. Stainless Steel Vacuum Insulated Can Cooler, and the Koozie® Deluxe Collapsible Can Kooler. Each comes in a range of colors.
10. Custom Lunch Bags and Coolers
Lunch bags and coolers are practical gifts for new hires who travel to and from the office. The Carhartt 36 Can Duffel Cooler has room for lunch, and it also works at the beach, a picnic, or a tailgate. The Koozie® Six-Pack Kooler is a smaller option that comes in a range of colors.
11. Sustainable Gifts
Planning sustainable new hire gifts? We offer sustainable apparel and accessories, and our sustainable collection says its items use recycled, organic, biodegradable, or reusable materials. Three styles we like are Hanes EcoSmart 50/50 Hoodies, District Re-Tee T-shirts, and Atlantis Beanies. Check each product page for its materials. Browse custom sustainable hoodies and sweatshirts, custom sustainable t-shirts, and custom sustainable hats.
Sustainable drinkware works too. Reusable water bottles cut down on single-use plastic. The CamelBak 20 oz. Eddy Tritan Renew Water Bottle is made with 50% recycled material and is shatter, stain, and odor resistant.
What fun extras can you add to a welcome kit?
12. Stress-relieving Toys
Small desk toys give new hires a break between tasks. Add stress balls and puzzles to the kit.
13. Snacks
Treat new hires to something sweet. Add your company logo to the gift bag that holds Milk Bar Cookies. You can choose Compost Cookies, which mix pretzels, potato chips, coffee, chocolate chips, and butterscotch chips. Or pick Cornflake Chocolate Chip Marshmallow Cookies. Or get both. For something salty, try the What’s Pop’N Gourmet Popcorn Gift Set. It comes with a food-safe silicone bowl and two seasoning shakers.
14. Custom Cheeseboard
For a more refined gift, try a Laser Engraved Black Marble Cheeseboard with a Set of Knives. The knives store in a drawer that slides out of the board. It also works as one of our custom client gifts.
15. Wine Lover’s Gift Bag
Pair the cheeseboard with the Wine Lover’s Gift Bag. It includes a stainless steel corkscrew and holds up to two bottles of wine, or six cans. It suits picnics and dinner parties.
16. Gardening Gifts
For something unexpected, try the Modern Sprout Indoor Herb Garden Kit or the Modern Sprout One-for-One Tree Kit. Fresh herbs brighten an office desk. You could also start a tradition of planting a tree for every new hire.
17. Custom Stickers and Decals
People put stickers on cars, laptops, water bottles, phones, skateboards, and notebooks. Custom vinyl stickers and decals are an easy addition to any kit. They also help increase brand awareness with custom apparel.
18. Custom Keychains
A keychain looks small, but the right one lasts for years. Choose one with a second job. Options include the Laser Engraved Aluminum Bottle Opener Keychain, the Laser Engraved Large Carabiner Keychain, or the Customized Touchless Door Opener with Stylus. Laser engraving adds a clean, professional look. Keychains also pair well with other gifts.
19. Books Your Company Endorses
Share your culture with a book you endorse or find useful at work. Our favorites include Give and Take: Why Helping Others Drives Our Success by Adam Grant, Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman, and Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action by Simon Sinek.
How else can you welcome a new employee?
20. Send Out an Email Announcement to the Company
A company-wide announcement is one of the easiest and most visible ways to welcome someone. Tell everyone who the new hire is and what they will do. Add a photo and a few fun facts. The details give coworkers an easy way to say hello. The email matters most for remote hires, because it introduces them to the team before they meet anyone in person.
21. Final Tip: Add One Gift They Would Not Buy Themselves.
Everyday items like a water bottle cover what a new hire uses every week. Add one new employee welcome gift they would not pick up for themselves, such as the cheeseboard or the herb kit. Hand over the tools they need for work on day one, separate from the gift.
What do you send a remote new hire?
Send something that works at home. Good picks from the list are tech accessories and headphones, a backpack or tote, and a water bottle. Browse our custom work from home gear for more ideas. Pair the gift with the email announcement in idea 20.
How do you build a new hire welcome kit?
Most welcome kits start with something to wear, something to drink from, and a warm layer for the office. The 3 picks below cover all three.
Sport-Tek RacerMesh Performance Polo – Printed
- Performance polo for the first day
- Company logo on the chest
Bayside USA-Made Heavyweight Pullover Hoodie
- Heavyweight hoodie for a chilly office
- Company name across the chest
Follow these steps to put the kit together.
- Pick three or four items, using the survey results above as a guide.
- Add your logo or a team design in our Design Lab. Our design experts can help with fonts, colors, and placement.
- Collect sizes with a group order. Each person picks a size from a shared link.
- Order ahead of the start date. The FAQ below covers timing and rush options.
Design Inspiration
Looking for welcome to the team gifts? Open one of these templates from our employee design ideas in the Design Lab and swap in your logo.
New Employee Welcome Gifts FAQ
What is a good welcome gift for a new employee?
A good welcome gift is something a new hire uses every week. Our new employee gifts start with the top survey picks. Those are water bottles and tumblers, totes and backpacks, and hoodies. Browse our custom gifts and custom apparel to start a kit.
How much should I spend on a new hire welcome gift?
On November 12, 2026, our product pages showed starting prices of $7.55 per item for the 15 oz. Campfire Ceramic Mug (minimum order 36), $17.00 for the Sport-Tek RacerMesh Performance Polo, and $55.25 for the Bayside USA-Made Heavyweight Pullover Hoodie. A kit of all three starts at $79.80 per hire. Final prices change with your quantity and design, and we offer bulk discounts on larger orders.
What do you send a remote new hire?
Pick gear that works at home and ship it early. See our ideas for remote new hires above, then browse tech accessories for desk gear.
Do you have minimums for welcome gifts?
Many products have low or no minimums. Browse our styles with no minimum to build a kit for one hire or twenty.
Can each new hire get their own size?
Yes. Collect sizes with a group order link, or keep a few common sizes on hand for new hires. Each person picks a size from the shared link.
When should we order welcome kits?
Order a few weeks before the start date. Our free standard shipping delivers custom apparel in about two weeks, and our delivery options cover rush orders.
Can I get help with the design?
Yes. Start in the Design Lab, and our Inkers can help with fonts, colors, and placement. Our design experts are a message away.
Building welcome kits for new hires? With Custom Ink for Business, our experts help you choose the items, and you get free samples, bulk discounts, and kitting.
Explore Custom Ink for Business
More on Employee Appreciation & Retention
- What Employees Want in Welcome Kits: Our 2026 Survey
- 50 Corporate Gift Ideas for Clients and Employees
- 20 Fun Ways to Welcome New Employees
- Employee Gifts and Swag: What to Give, When to Give It, and What to Skip
- 17+ Easy Employee Appreciation Day Gifts That Mean the Most
- The Employee Recognition & Client Gifting Calendar: When to Plan Anniversary Gifts and Every Milestone in Between
- Browse all Employee Appreciation & Retention posts
Stephanie Self loves to tell stories and expose new perspectives through writing. When she's not typing on a laptop or buried in a book, she loves watching horror movies and pro wrestling, playing video games, and snuggling with her cat, CleoCatra. Lest you should think she never sees the light of day, she also spends time practicing hot yoga, hiking, and traveling.