Whether you are hiring a single employee, or an entire department of staffers, presenting a well-organized and branded hiring packet can make your business shine. Hiring packets essentially provide an introduction to the company culture and make for a more streamlined onboarding experience.
As a hiring manager, it’s your job to make sure your new hire packets are legally compliant and give new employees the right impression. Here are the six must-have elements for your new hire packets.
1. Welcome Letter
One of the critical documents a hiring packet should include is a welcome letter on company letterhead to the new employee. Provide a warm welcome to the employee, giving him or her a brief introduction to the company, the mission statement, and how happy you are that the individual has chosen to come work for you. Give a name and contact number of a member of your human resource team should the new hire have any questions or need guidance during the first critical few months on the job. UpStartHR provides a sample and tips on writing an outstanding welcome letter.
2. Employee Information Form
When onboarding new hires, it’s important to have some general information for each employee, to be stored in the confidential employee file. A simple, one-page employee information form can provide this opportunity. Include an area for the employee to share their correct mailing address, emergency contacts, their birth day and month (for sending a card later on), and any special health or personal requirements to make them comfortable on the job.
3. Tax and Direct Deposit Forms
There are specific forms that all new hires must complete during the first 48 hours on the job, so why not make it simple and include them in the hiring packet? In America, the Internal Revenue Service and the Department of Homeland Security require all new hires to verify their legal eligibility to work in the United States. Include a Form W-4, Employee’s Withholding Allowance Certificate and have the employee complete a Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification to meet these requirements. To make it easy for payroll to set up the correct tax deductions, have the employee provide you with authorization form for direct deposit.
4. Employee Handbook
Getting oriented to the company is something that all new hires focus on in the first few weeks of employment. That’s why every new hire packet needs an updated employee handbook. Provide a printed copy to this handbook and include a sign-off sheet to verify receipt. Review the handbook with all new hires, go over all company and employment policies, and answer any questions that the employee may have. You may also want to integrate a digital version of the manual that includes access to online safety and harassment training.
5. Insurance, Retirement and Benefit Information
If your company offers insurance and benefits to your employees, now is the right time to include information and options available to new hires. Provide an overview of all benefit, retirement savings, and insurance plans currently offered, with a breakdown of the costs and value of each plan. Give the employee a listing of any special perks or incentives your company offers as well, such as onsite wellness or company discounts. If there is a sign up period for these benefits, advise all new hires of the deadline to participate.
6. Company Directory
During the onboarding process, it’s important that new hires have access to the resources and information they need to be successful. Understanding who the leaders and team members are, their roles, and how to contact them is paramount to this process. In your new hire packet, provide access to a company directory which lists the names, email addresses, and telephone extension of each department head.
Remember, that onboarding can be a smooth process when it’s organized and strategic for each new hires’ success. Make a new hire packet a part of every new employees’ orientation experience.
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Even though you wrote this three years ago, I want to thank you for sharing this information. I just hired my first employee and I new there was information I needed to give her as a new hire, but I had no idea where to start! Your article helped to put me in the right frame of thinking. Kudos!