Finding and retaining the best talent is no simple task, which is more so for remote employees.
Remote employees have less daily team interaction and activities, which leads to feelings of exclusion. This can affect their abilities to start strong professional relationships with their colleagues.
If left unaddressed, the feelings of alienation will grow. HR studies show that 1 in 4 recruits will quit within six months of being hired. With your brand-new recruits gone in search of new opportunities, you will be left with the time-consuming and expensive task of finding new talent. This makes onboarding gifts for remote employees crucial to employee retention.
Set a Good Foundation with Onboarding Gifts for Remote Employees
One crucial way of addressing the problem of new employees ditching their jobs is a strong onboarding process. It forms the foundation for good relationships with new recruits.
This process becomes even more important for remote employees, as it is more difficult for them to understand the company culture, their colleagues, and what is expected from them.
The groundwork of valuing, appreciating, recognizing, and welcoming your new remote employees from day one will make it easier for them to integrate themselves with the organization. This, in turn, will help you to engage and retain your team members.
A good onboarding program assures recruits that they have made the right decision to join your company and that they will be taken care of.
And believe it or not, thoughtful employee gifts a.k.a. the welcome kit are the way to do it!
Why gifts for remote employees are the ultimate way to round out your onboarding process
- Because nothing expresses value and appreciation better than a gift.
- Because it gives an excellent first impression of the company.
- Because it demonstrates a healthy culture of ‘giving’ in the company.
- Because it makes the whole onboarding a wonderful and memorable experience.
- Because the positive action on your part will motivate them to throw themselves into their new job.
- Because it helps relieve a little bit of the stress that comes with joining a new company.
- And because who doesn’t like to receive a gift?
These are positive sentiments to improve the onboarding experience and help your new remote employees to adapt to their new work environment.
Our pick of the top ten gift ideas for remote employee onboarding
Here are some great onboarding welcome gifts that you can consider giving your new hires (in no particular order)
1. Tea and coffee supplies
Who does not love a good, refreshingly hot cup of tea or a hit of caffeine when they are working! Reinvigorate those tired minds with thoughtful onboarding gifts of tea and coffee!
2. Power Banks
Ensure that your employees never run out of juice and have the power to go on with handy power banks!
3. Cool Pens
Let us face it! Nothing screams more corporate than a stylish pen! Because it comes with a tracker, the recipient will never lose it! What more could they ask for?
4. Fitness devices
Exercising brings down stress levels and releases endorphins, which help with a positive state of mind. Keep your new employees positive with a smart fitness device!
5. Chocolates
Do you need a reason for chocolates? Who does not like chocolates and, better still, artisan chocolates? They make the most perfect and versatile gift box items anytime and anywhere!
6. Smart Home devices
Everyone can use fun, smart home devices that make their lives more comfortable, like this compact smart display.
7. Earphones
All the better to hear you with! Earphones are a necessity. Gift your new remote recruits some trendy new earphones, and they will love you for it!
8. A bottle of wine
Wine is the perfect gift for a special occasion -a new employee joining your company. Welcome your recruit with a quality bottle of wine.
9. Photography equipment
They will always think of you when they are creating new memories! And because receiving a novelty gift like a polaroid camera is so much fun.
10. Snacks and savories
Savory snacks are an all-time favorite! Taking an extra nutty approach to welcoming new recruits on board will always pay off in the long run!
But you think that gifting is a pain!
How do you select gifts for remote employees you hardly know? And then there are the logistics to think of.
The answer is- you do not!
Eva Gifting Assistant will do it all for you!
- All you have to do is log in to Eva Gifting Assistant.
- Then enter the details about who you want to send a gift to and how much you want to spend.
- Finally, email the link that Eva generates to the gift recipient.
When the recipient clicks on the link
- Eva will chat them up to find out a few things, such as their preferences, interests, and allergies.
- It will pick out the perfect gift based on the gathered information and a host of other data points.
- Eva will wrap up the gift beautifully and deliver it with a personalized hand-written note (and your company logo, if you want to) from you to a thrilled recipient.
Eva is an easy and efficient way to send out gifts for remote employees and make them feel welcome and excited about joining your organization.
Case Study
One of Eva’s clients, HR Head at a multi-national company, has been successfully onboarding and retaining most of her remote employees using this tactic.
“I make their first day as fun as possible, introduce them, and let them get to know their team. Yes, there are serious formalities to be completed as well, but the key is to make it unforgettable.”
She says that she always sends a small gift. It doesn’t have to be anything an expensive over-the-top gift, but a thoughtful token. “It never fails to bring joy, and I can almost always see a shift in attitude and comfort levels as soon as they receive the gift,” she says.
“Since remote employees can be easily left out, I also make sure I recognize their efforts now and then and keep them motivated with a gift or sometimes with team competitions and rewards.”
Most companies expect a new employee to hit the ground running, and this can be overwhelming. By effectively showing employees that they are not alone and are part of a team that supports them, they are less likely to get too stressed about it.
Conclusion
With changing hiring trends and the rising numbers of remote employees in the ranks, companies will continue to face an onboarding challenge.
But finding and retaining talent should not be a problem if you make your remote employees feel valued and appreciated. An effective onboarding program is one that allows you to create a good relationship with your new employee right from the start.
Finding a strategy that works for your organization and throwing in small, thoughtful, and positive gestures will go a long way in helping new recruits settle in and have a long, fruitful relationship with the company.
[…] onboarding gifts for remote employees can help find and retain the best talent. Gifting your new employees a company-branded t-shirt or mug is not an ideal way to get started. […]