This article gives you a step-by-step plan for how to welcome a new employee and make them think, \u2018I<\/em> made the right choice!\u2019<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n Plus, we\u2019ll share 20+ welcome-to-the-team message examples (friendly to professional) to make new hires feel supported and excited to be part of your team.<\/p>\n\n\n A great welcome is what gets your onboarding goals<\/a> off to a strong start. Here\u2019s why: <\/p>\n\n\n\n \ud83c\udf3c People remember how you made them feel: <\/strong>Long after they\u2019ve forgotten the Wi-Fi password or where to find the HR policy doc, new employees will remember a thoughtful intro, a small gift, or even a warm welcome \u201cwe\u2019re so glad you\u2019re here\u201d<\/em> message <\/p>\n\n\n\n \ud83c\udf3c Safe spaces encourage questions: <\/strong>With a well-written welcome message, employees are more likely to speak up, ask questions, bring fresh ideas to the table, and admit when they\u2019re stuck. That openness is gold<\/em> in the early days<\/p>\n\n\n\n \ud83c\udf3c Your culture speaks louder than your careers page: <\/strong>When the entire team takes time to greet or grab lunch with the new hire, it shows this is a group of people who look out for each other; in short, it reflects your company culture<\/p>\n\n\n\n \ud83c\udf3c Momentum matters: <\/strong>Thoughtfully <\/strong>welcomed new hires feel like they\u2019re already part of something good. And that energy reflects in their work, their confidence, and their contribution<\/p>\n\n\n\n \ud83c\udf3c Ghosting starts with silence: <\/strong>Sometimes, new hires accept the offer and then disappear, indicating that there\u2019s a lack of connection between the offer and start date. A quick pre-start message for new employees can bridge that gap and build anticipation instead of doubt<\/p>\n\n\n \ud83d\udc40 Did You Know? According to SHRM, structured onboarding improves new-hire retention,<\/strong> and employees are 69% more likely to stay three years<\/a>. It fosters clarity, confidence, commitment, and productivity.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n A warm and personalized welcome message sets the tone, reassures them of the right decision to join, and shows genuine appreciation.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n The\u00a0ClickUp Onboarding Checklist Template<\/a>\u00a0provides a complete task list that you can reuse and adapt across roles and departments when bringing new team members in. Why use this? Because standardizing the HR processes<\/a> reduces the chances of missing critical steps and saves hiring managers’ time<\/span>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Say you’re onboarding two new employees: one for Marketing and another for Engineering. Using Custom Fields, you can record their Job Title (e.g., \u2018Content Specialist\u2019 or \u2018Backend Developer\u2019), Department, Work Email, and Official Start Date. Or include a Preferred Tag Name, like \u201cJess\u201d instead of \u201cJessica,\u201d so communication feels more personal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Welcoming a new employee is about getting the small things right. Let\u2019s break it down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Think of the pre-start email as the first welcome message you send a few days (or a week) before the new team member officially begins their exciting journey. It serves multiple purposes: it shows them you\u2019re excited for their arrival, helps them prepare for the successful journey ahead, and eases that first-day anxiety. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \ud83d\udce9 What to include in a pre-start welcome email:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n \ud83d\udcad Remember This: <\/strong>A thoughtful message after the job offer acceptance can kick off the employee engagement journey long before day one.<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n Your new hire walks in, ready to go, but ends up waiting for IT, hunting for passwords, or unsure where to sit. That\u2019s why setting up their workspace in advance helps them settle in quickly and focus on connecting with the team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \ud83d\udcbc Here\u2019s what to prep in advance:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n A key onboarding challenge<\/a> you must avoid at this stage is information overload in the first few days. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Naturally, you want to give them the information needed to start doing their job; the last thing you want to do is overwhelm them with information overload.\u00a0One solution here is to take inspiration from Nordstorm. They share a\u00a030-page PDF<\/a>\u00a0that breaks down all the information in detail<\/span>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Don\u2019t leave introductions to chance. Take the lead and introduce your new hire to key team members, like direct teammates, cross-functional partners, their manager, and the CEO (if applicable). <\/p>\n\n\n\n This gives them clarity on who does what and who to reach out to, and builds early rapport with the people they\u2019ll interact with most.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \ud83e\udd1d Tips for meaningful introductions: <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n \ud83c\udfa8 Creative Spark: <\/strong>Try creative ideas like custom welcome GIFs, handwritten notes, or onboarding playlists to make a positive impact they won\u2019t forget.<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n Here’s a template to help you make it fun and thoughtful! \ud83d\udc47\ud83c\udffc<\/p>\n\n\n\n A buddy is a volunteer employee who supports the new hire during their first few weeks. <\/p>\n\n\n\n They\u2019re usually from the same team or role, or another department, if you want to offer cross-functional exposure. Plus, they know the team workflows, internal tools, and informal know-how that help the recruit settle in faster.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \ud83e\udec2 Tips to create an effective buddy system: <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n \ud83e\udde0 Fun Fact:<\/strong> Netflix is a great example of this. Cecili Reid, who joined Netflix as a software engineer, shares his onboarding process at the company in a personal Medium post<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhen I opened my email on the first day, I received an onboarding plan from my onboarding buddy. An onboarding buddy is a dedicated person on my team who shows the new hires the ropes as they are onboarded. The onboarding plan was customized for my team and me and consisted of materials I should read or required things I should do to get my credentials and environment set up or suggestions to make my onboarding smoother. I worked through the plan on my own time in between team meetings or onboarding sessions and met with my onboarding buddy daily. My buddy and plan were essential for helping me to decide what I really needed to focus on in my onboarding.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n \ud83c\udfaf Productivity Hack:<\/strong> Streamline the training process by preparing a buddy system and welcome kit in advance. It ensures a smooth transition and lets the team focus on achieving incredible things. <\/p>\n\n\n\n But the buddy doesn’t have to be human. \ud83d\ude09Why Is It Important to Properly Welcome a New Employee? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\u2b50 Featured Template
<\/h2>\n\n\n\n![\"ClickUp](\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ClickUp-Onboarding-Checklist-Template.png\")
How to Welcome a New Employee to the Team? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
1. Send a pre-start email<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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![\"\"](\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Screenshot-2025-07-21-at-8.36.52-PM.png\")
2. Prepare their workspace and tools<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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3. Introduce them to the team<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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![\"Create](\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/image-205.png\")
4. Assign a buddy or mentor <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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You can also set up an Autopilot answer agent <\/a>for the new hires, which can be specifically configured to help them with onboarding-specific questions.<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n![\"auto-answers](\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/image-34.gif\")
5. Share a 30-60-90 day plan <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"Track](\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/ClickUps-30-60-90-1.png\")