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2025 Onboarding: Solve Your Swag Challenge with Sustainable Welcome Kits

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2025 Onboarding: Solve Your Swag Challenge with Sustainable Welcome Kits

Set new hires up to thrive with clarity, community, and purpose.

2025 Onboarding: Solve Your Swag Challenge with Sustainable Welcome Kits


As Fall 2025 approaches, organizations across sectors are gearing up for another wave of hiring. But in today’s world, onboarding is more than just legal paperwork and orientation slides, it’s your brand in action. The way you welcome new hires sends a signal: about who you are, what you care about, and how you expect people to show up. And in an era where employee retention, engagement, and values-alignment are top priorities, that first impression can shape months or even years of experience.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through:

  • Why onboarding matters more than ever (especially now)

  • Core principles for creating an impactful onboarding journey

  • A phased onboarding strategy

  • How sustainable welcome kits (swag, thoughtfully done) reinforce your values

Let’s dive in.

Why Onboarding Matters More Than Ever

The stakes are higher now

Companies often think onboarding is “just HR’s job” or a checklist to tick off in week one. But organizations that treat it that way risk losing talent and losing alignment. Poor onboarding correlates with early departures: many organizations lose up to 20% of new hires within the first 45 days if the experience isn’t strong (DevlinPeck).

Meanwhile, structured, human-centered onboarding can boost new hire performance, increase discretionary effort, and enhance retention. It helps employees feel confident, supported, and connected and that pays off in productivity, engagement, and long-term loyalty.

In 2025, some of the biggest onboarding trends tie directly to greater expectations around employee experience, personalization, and sustainability. Candidates are asking smarter questions. Employees want to feel included from the start. And HR teams are being challenged to deliver high-impact onboarding without waste or redundancy.

A story: first impressions that last

Imagine two new hires joining two different companies. On Day 1:

  • At Company A, the new hire arrives at a bare desk, a stack of forms, and a generic “Welcome to the team” email from HR.

  • At Company B, the new hire gets a personalized welcome email before arrival, a role-specific onboarding portal, and a sleek sustainable welcome kit at their desk (or delivered to their home). Their manager meets them, introduces them around, and clarifies expectations for the first 90 days.

Which employee feels more excited? More confident? More willing to lean in? The difference isn’t about complexity, it’s about thoughtfulness. That’s the power you unlock when onboarding is treated as an investment, not a burden.

Onboarding = culture, retention, and belonging

Every interaction, big or small, reinforces your employer brand. When onboarding is disjointed or impersonal, you risk alienating new hires before they’ve fully joined. But when onboarding is clear, caring, and values-driven, you accelerate belonging.

An often-overlooked signal is the welcome kit (aka “swag box,” “onboarding kit,” or “welcome parcel”). Done right, it becomes a tangible touchpoint that:

  • Aligns the new hire to your mission and culture

  • Signals the values you live (especially around sustainability)

  • Creates excitement and a sense of belonging

  • Pays itself back when people share, use, or talk about it

Onboarding is a key opportunity to go beyond policy and procedure to communicate what it really means to be part of your team.

Core Principles for Impactful Onboarding

To make onboarding effective in today’s world, we need more than a polished schedule. We need intention. Here are foundational principles we lean into when designing onboarding (and welcome kits) that truly land.

1. Clarity over ambiguity

From Day 0, give new hires a clear map: What happens in the first week? First 30 days? First 90 days? Who are their key allies? What roles, relationships, and deliverables should they aim for? Ambiguity breeds confusion and stress.

Clarity also means defining responsibilities among managers, mentors, and HR. Who owns the pre-boarding email? Who’s checking in at day 30? Mapping roles ensures no touchpoint is missed.

2. Community over isolation

Even remote-first roles need connection. Assign a peer mentor, schedule informal get-tos, build cohort touchpoints, and use onboarding rituals (icebreakers, shared playlists, team intros) to create relational glue.

We’ve seen teams use “onboarding buddies,” internal Slack channels, or virtual lunch vouchers to build early bonds. Whatever your format, the goal is simple: no one should feel like they’re onboarding alone.

3. Purpose over process

Onboarding shouldn’t just walk people through systems and policies, it should help them answer: “Why does this role exist? How will I make an impact?” Weave in stories of your mission, customer outcomes, and how this hire contributes to the bigger narrative.

It helps to include customer testimonials, founder videos, or real-life success stories in your onboarding content. People want to know they matter.

4. Personalization and role relevance

Not all roles are equal. A developer, a salesperson, and a people operations hire need different tools, context, and integration paths. Tailor learning, engagement, and swag contents by role or team when feasible.

Think of this like tailoring a meal to dietary needs, iit doesn’t have to be wildly different, but thoughtful tweaks go a long way.

5. Extend beyond Day 1

Don’t stop at the first week. Onboarding is ongoing - 30, 60, 90 days (or more). Check-ins, feedback loops, stretch assignments, and continuous learning keep the momentum alive.

Research shows it can take six months to fully ramp up in a new role. Plan for a long runway. Embed learning opportunities, peer feedback, and lightweight reviews throughout that arc.

6. Sustainability, inclusion & values alignment

In 2025, employees expect more than glossy perks, they expect values in action. Incorporate sustainability, social impact, and inclusive design into every touchpoint (digital, physical, experiential).

Make sure your onboarding reflects your environmental goals, your equity commitments, and your cultural tone. Avoid overproduced or wasteful onboarding materials. Invite feedback from diverse employee groups.

7. Measurement and feedback

Track early sentiment, participation rates, time-to-productivity, and retention. Solicit feedback at 30/60/90 days. Use insights to iterate your onboarding and kit offerings.

This isn’t about checking boxes. It’s about improving outcomes and elevating employee experience with data that drives action.

A Phased Onboarding Strategy (with Swag Touchpoints)

You can think of onboarding in distinct phases. Below is a typical structure, paired with examples of how welcome kits or swag can reinforce each phase.

Phase

Goals

Key Activities & Touchpoints

Swag / Welcome Kit Role

Pre-Arrival

Build excitement and reduce first-day friction

Send welcome email or portal link; share schedule, team intros, reading materials, logistics (IT, setup)

A digital “teaser” (e.g. a PDF e-welcome packet), or even a small shipped pre-kit (branded welcome letter, sticker, small item)

Day 1 to Day 7

Orient, socialize, clarify expectations

In-person (or virtual) orientation, manager meetups, team lunches, key admin tasks, role overview

Full welcome kit delivered on Day 1: tools, branded items, cultural artifacts, message from leadership

First 30 Days

Onboard role execution, deliver early wins

Role-specific training, shadowing, small assignments, regular check-ins, feedback loops

"Phase 2" drop: notebook, functional tools, brand swag that’s actually useful

60–90 Days

Solidify belonging, accelerate contribution

Define goals, introduce to cross-functional teams, learning paths, mentorship

Optional "mid-onboarding" gift or recognition; invite participation in culture rituals or a kit themed around impact

Ongoing / Beyond 90 Days

Growth, retention, advocacy

Performance cycles, enrichment, stretch assignments, peer cohorts

Quarterly or annual swag drops, sustainability rewards, alumni-style touchpoints

Tips for execution

  • Time shipments carefully. You don’t want someone to receive a welcome box after they’ve already been in for weeks.

  • Leverage cohorts so multiple new hires share experiences, swap items, build camaraderie.

  • Mix functional and emotional items. Swag is effective when it’s useful (e.g. a quality water bottle, notebook, charger) and meaningful (e.g. branded storytelling, sustainability tie-in).

  • Iterate based on feedback. Use surveys at 30/60 days to ask: Which items did you use? Which felt redundant? Which created delight? Use data to adjust your kit contents.

How Welcome Kits Reinforce Your Values (Especially Sustainability)

The welcome kit is more than "swag" , it's a statement. When designed thoughtfully, it becomes a tangible anchor for your culture, values, and brand promise.

Why sustainable welcome kits matter now

  • Aligns values with actions. New hires quickly notice if the "values you say" differ from the "values you live." Offering plastic, disposable, or mass-produced swag undermines credibility.

  • Meets employee expectations. In 2025, many candidates expect companies to live with ESG commitments, not just talk about them.

  • Reduces waste and environmental impact. Think recycled, upcycled, compostable packaging, low-impact printing, and carbon-neutral logistics.

  • Makes the kit shareable in a good way. People love sustainable items and often reuse or brag about them, extending your brand presence.

Elements of a values-centered welcome kit

When choosing elements, think through the lens of value alignment, usefulness, and delight. Here’s a breakdown of categories and example items:

Category

Purpose & Examples

Sustainability Notes

Drinkware / hydration

Encourages wellness & reduces single-use plastics. E.g. stainless steel water bottle, travel mug, bamboo tumbler

Use BPA-free steel, recycled materials, or biodegradable components

Apparel / wearables

Builds identity and team spirit. E.g. organic cotton tee, recycled fleece hoodie, sustainable hat

Source fair-trade, local production, carbon-offset shipments

Desk essentials / tools

Supports productivity from day one. E.g. notebook, pen, wireless charger, ergonomic mouse

Use recycled paper, seed paper covers, wood or wheat-straw plastics

Tech accessories

Bridges to role productivity. E.g. USB-C hub, power bank, sustainable laptop sleeve

Select neutral, quality, multi-purpose devices

Well-being & care

Signals you care about the whole person. E.g. plantable seed kits, energy bar, tea sachets, self-care items

Choose organic, compostable, low-packaging goods

Cultural tokens / storytelling

Reinforce mission or values. E.g. a small printed booklet, a mission patch, a video QR card

Use digital storytelling or minimal-print inserts

Packaging / unboxing experience

The first touchpoint. Use boxes made from recycled cardboard, compostable fillers, minimal plastic

Use soy-based or water-based inks; avoid bubble wrap and polystyrene

Logic of curation and content count

  • Don’t overload. Around 5–8 thoughtfully selected items often hit more than 20 low-value trinkets.

  • Avoid redundancy. If multiple items are similar (e.g. two notebooks), drop one for variety.

  • Tier items by role. A software dev might prioritize ergonomic tools; a marketer might get social media-friendly items.

  • Focus on future utility. Every item should be something people would keep and use—not stuff destined for the drawer.

Packaging & presentation matter

  • The unboxing ritual is a design moment. Use custom interior messages, tissue wrap, or narrative cards to connect emotionally.

  • Use sustainable packaging (recycled, compostable, minimal).

  • Consider modular inserts (role-specific compartments) to simplify fulfillment and visual storytelling.

  • Add QR links or "next steps" cards that lead to onboarding portals or welcome videos.

Rollout and logistics

  • Source local where possible to reduce shipping emissions.

  • Use carbon-offset shipping options or eco-friendly couriers.

  • Plan fulfillment so the kits arrive just ahead of or on Day 1 (not weeks or months later).

  • For remote and hybrid roles, send kits to home addresses.

  • Manage inventory or adopt print-on-demand / drop-shipping models to reduce waste.

Measuring success and ROI

  • Ask usage questions: Which items did you use? Which did you discard?

  • Correlate kit feedback with onboarding survey responses (NPS, engagement, clarity).

  • Track retention and productivity relative to past cohorts.

  • Iterate contents based on insights: drop underused items, test new ones, gather suggestions.

Final Thoughts

Onboarding is more than a weeklong task, it’s a cultural ritual. And swag isn’t just stuff! It’s a signal. When you combine thoughtful onboarding strategy with sustainable, values-aligned welcome kits, you help new hires feel seen, supported, and ready to contribute.

If you’re facing the swag challenge for your 2025 onboarding, we’re here to help. From sourcing ethical materials to curating kits that tell your story, we make it easy and impactful.

Let’s make onboarding matter.

Ready to align your onboarding with your values? Get in touch to start building your sustainable welcome kit today.