There is no single correct size for a welcome kit. A notebook alone is a reasonable, low-cost starting point, while a fuller set of desk accessories gives a more complete first-day experience at a higher cost per hire. The right choice depends on how many people you onboard, how often, and what budget is set aside per new starter.
The Case for Starting With a Notebook Alone
For companies that hire frequently, or that are building a welcome kit programme for the first time, starting with a single branded item, most often a branded notebook, keeps the cost per hire low and the decision simple. It is easy to produce consistently, easy to reorder in small batches as new hires join, and still gives every new employee something branded and useful from day one.
The Case for a Fuller Kit
Companies that hire less frequently, or that want onboarding to feel more like an occasion, often build a fuller kit combining a notebook with a mouse pad, a pen and sometimes a water bottle. A fuller kit costs more per hire but gives a stronger first impression, which can matter more for senior hires, smaller teams where each hire is a bigger event, or companies that want onboarding to reflect a premium brand position.
Weighing Cost Against Hiring Volume
The practical trade-off is usually between cost per kit and how many kits you are producing in a year. A company onboarding two or three people a month can reasonably afford a fuller kit per hire, while a company hiring in larger bursts, such as a seasonal retail ramp-up, may prefer a simpler single-item kit that can be produced in volume without a large per-person cost.
A Tiered Approach
Some companies solve this by using a tiered kit: a simple notebook-only kit as the standard for most new hires, with a fuller kit reserved for management-level hires or specific departments. This keeps the overall cost manageable while still allowing for a more complete kit where it matters most to the business.
Budgeting for Growth
Whichever approach you choose, it helps to plan your kit around your expected hiring volume for the coming months rather than a single one-off order, so that reordering the same items later is straightforward rather than a fresh decision each time. Our guide to planning onboarding kits for growing teams and multiple locations covers this in more detail.
Deciding What's Right for Your Team
If you are not sure which approach suits your hiring pattern, our employee welcome kit page outlines the notebook and mouse pad options available, and our team can help you weigh up a simple versus a fuller kit through our contact page.
