Recruiting template

New Hire Welcome Email Template

A welcome email to a new employee confirms their first day and tells them what to expect: when and where to arrive, who they will meet, what to bring and who to ask. Send it in the week before they start, pick the version below that fits, add your details and copy it.

Updated October 27, 2026

Fill in your details

Every version below updates as you type. A field left empty stays as a [placeholder] in the text you copy.

New hire name

Job title

Company name

Team

Start date

Start time

Time zone

Office address

Arrival instructions

First-day video link

Manager name

Onboarding buddy

HR or recruiter contact

First-day plan

First-week focus

What to bring

Equipment being sent

Equipment arrives by

Background to share with the team

Your name

Your job title

Your email

Your phone number

Email versions open straight in your email app with the subject and text filled in. You add the recipient there.

Your company and sender details are remembered, so the next template starts with them filled in.

Welcome email before the first day

When to use it: Sent by HR or the recruiter in the week before an office-based start, with the practical details for day one.

SubjectWelcome to [Company name]: your first day on [Start date]

Hi [New hire name], Welcome to [Company name]. We're delighted you're joining the [Team] as [Job title], and everyone is looking forward to meeting you. Here is everything you need for your first day. Date: [Start date] Time: [Start time] Address: [Office address] When you arrive: [Arrival instructions] Please bring: [What to bring] On your first day you'll have [First-day plan]. [Manager name], your manager, will spend time with you during the day, and [Onboarding buddy] will be your onboarding buddy: the person to ask about anything, however small. In your first week the focus is [First-week focus]. Nobody expects you to know everything straight away. If anything comes up before you start, or you need any adjustments to your workspace or working pattern, email me at [Your email] or call [Your phone number]. See you on [Start date]. Best wishes, [Your name] [Your job title], [Company name]

Welcome aboard email from the manager

When to use it: A personal note from the new hire's manager, sent a few days before they start, alongside the practical email from HR.

SubjectWelcome aboard, [New hire name]

Hi [New hire name], I wanted to say welcome aboard myself. I'm really pleased you're joining the [Team], and the team is looking forward to working with you. You'll get the practical details for [Start date] from [HR or recruiter contact], so this is just a note about what to expect from me. On your first day we'll have a one-to-one to talk about the role, how the team works and what you'd like from your first few weeks. In the first week the focus is [First-week focus]. [Onboarding buddy] will be your onboarding buddy and is happy to answer any question, however small. We'll agree your first goals together once you've had time to settle in, so there's nothing to prepare before you start. If you'd like to talk before [Start date], reply to this email and we'll find a time. See you soon, [Manager name] [Team], [Company name]

Remote new hire welcome email

When to use it: A new employee who works remotely, where the equipment, logins and first video call need to be clear before day one.

SubjectWelcome to [Company name]: getting set up for [Start date]

Hi [New hire name], Welcome to [Company name]. We're delighted you're joining the [Team] as [Job title]. Because you'll be working remotely, here is how your first day will work. Your equipment: we're sending [Equipment being sent] to your home address, and it should arrive by [Equipment arrives by]. Let me know if it hasn't arrived by then. Your logins: you'll receive an email with your account details before [Start date]. You don't need to set anything up before your first morning. Your first call: join us at [Start time] [Time zone] on [Start date] at [First-day video link]. We'll start with [First-day plan]. Please have ready: [What to bring]. [Manager name], your manager, will check in with you during the day, and [Onboarding buddy] will be your onboarding buddy. In your first week the focus is [First-week focus]. If anything goes wrong on the day, such as the link or your laptop, call me on [Your phone number]. For anything else before then, email me at [Your email]. We're looking forward to working with you. Best wishes, [Your name] [Your job title], [Company name]

Welcome to the team announcement

When to use it: An email to the team, or the wider company, introducing the new hire before or on their first day.

SubjectPlease welcome [New hire name] to the [Team]

Hi everyone, I'm pleased to share that [New hire name] joins us on [Start date] as [Job title] in the [Team], reporting to [Manager name]. [Background to share with the team]. In the first week [New hire name] will be focusing on [First-week focus], so you may get a meeting invitation. [Onboarding buddy] is [New hire name]'s onboarding buddy. Please say hello and make [New hire name] feel welcome. Thanks, [Manager name] [Team], [Company name]

New employee welcome letter

When to use it: A more formal welcome, printed and left on the new hire's desk or included in a welcome pack.

[Company name] Dear [New hire name], Welcome to [Company name]. On behalf of everyone here, I am delighted to welcome you to the [Team] as [Job title]. We chose you because of the experience and ideas you bring, and we are looking forward to working with you. Your manager is [Manager name], who will meet you on your first day and agree your first goals with you. [Onboarding buddy] is your onboarding buddy and can help with anything from finding a meeting room to understanding how we work. Your first week will focus on [First-week focus]. Please ask questions as you go: everyone was new once, and we would rather you asked than guessed. If you need anything at all, my door is open, and you can also reach me at [Your email]. We are glad you are here. Yours sincerely, [Your name] [Your job title], [Company name]

How to use this template

1Send the practical welcome email in the week before the start date, once the offer is accepted and any checks are complete.
2Pick the version that fits: an office start, a remote start, a personal note from the manager, an announcement to the team or a printed welcome letter. Most new hires should get the HR email and the manager's note.
3Fill in every field above. The date, time, place, what to bring and who to contact matter most; a new hire who has to email back to ask is already less sure about the first day.
4Name real people: the manager, an onboarding buddy and a contact for problems on the day.
5Check the plan is real before you send it. If the email promises a laptop and a lunch, make sure both are booked.

Mistakes to avoid

Sending the welcome email the night before, when the new hire has no time to sort out documents or travel.
Leaving out the start time, the address or who to ask for at reception.
Filling the email with policies and links to read before day one. Keep it to what they need to arrive ready.
For remote hires, not giving the time zone for the first call, not confirming when the equipment will arrive or what to do if a login fails on the morning.
Announcing the new hire to the team with personal details they have not agreed to share.

Questions

What should a welcome email to a new employee include?

The start date and time, the address or video link, who to ask for on arrival, what to bring, a short outline of the first day and week, the manager and onboarding buddy's names, and one person to contact with questions.

When should I send a new hire welcome email?

In the week before the start date, once the offer is accepted and any pre-employment checks are complete. That gives the new hire time to arrange documents and travel. A short reminder the day before is fine as well.

Who should send the welcome email?

Usually HR or the recruiter sends the practical details, and the manager sends a short personal welcome. Two short emails from the right people are easier to take in than one long one.

What should a welcome to the team email say?

Who is joining, their job title, their start date, who they report to and a line or two of professional background they are happy to share. Ask the team to say hello and name the new hire's onboarding buddy.

What is the difference between a welcome email and a welcome letter?

A welcome email is sent before the start date and carries the practical details for day one. A welcome letter is more formal and is usually handed over on the first day, often as part of a welcome pack.

How do I welcome a remote new hire?

Confirm when their equipment will arrive, how they will get their logins and the video link for the first morning. Give them a phone number to call if something fails, and schedule a first call with their manager and buddy.

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