What are the top items to include in a great onboarding kit?

A well-designed branded onboarding kit helps new hires feel welcomed, prepared, and excited about joining the company. These kits also reinforce company culture while providing practical tools employees can use from day one.

Below are some of the best items to include when building employee onboarding kits.

Branded Essentials

Apparel (Company T-Shirt, Hoodie, Polo)

Branded apparel helps employees feel included and excited about joining the company. It strengthens team identity while increasing brand visibility.

Custom Water Bottle or Tumbler

A branded water bottle or tumbler is a practical everyday item that supports wellness and sustainability while subtly reinforcing the company brand.

Branded Notepad & Pens

Stationery items, such as branded notebooks and pens, are simple yet useful tools for onboarding training sessions, meetings, and daily work.

Name Badge

Providing a name badge early makes introductions easier and helps new employees integrate more quickly into the workplace.

Practical Printed Materials

Business Cards

Providing business cards for new hires immediately helps employees feel officially part of the organization. It signals professionalism and prepares them to represent the company from their very first day.

Employee Handbook/HR Forms & Benefits Information

These materials provide new hires with essential guidance on company policies, expectations, and workplace culture.

Company Wall Calendar

A branded wall calendar helps employees track meetings, deadlines, and company events. It also reinforces brand identity while providing a practical scheduling tool.

Pocket Folder

A professional pocket folder keeps onboarding documents organized and accessible, helping new hires manage important materials without feeling overwhelmed.

Tech & Office Gear

Branded Mouse Pad

A mouse pad is a simple desk accessory that employees use daily, keeping the brand visible in the workspace.

Custom Portable Charger

Portable chargers support mobile work environments and help employees stay connected during meetings, travel, or remote work.

Laptop Case

A branded laptop case protects company equipment while reinforcing professionalism and organization.

Sticky Notes

Sticky notes are practical tools for reminders, brainstorming, and task tracking, especially helpful during the early days of onboarding.

Personal Welcome Items

Personalized Welcome Letter

A personalized welcome letter creates a strong first impression and helps new employees feel appreciated and valued from the beginning.

Stickers & Buttons

Fun items like stickers or buttons allow employees to personalize laptops, notebooks, or bags while showing company pride.

Company Mission & Values Flyer

Including a mission and values overview helps new hires understand the company’s purpose and how their role contributes to overall success.

Branded Hand Sanitizer

Branded hand sanitizer is a practical item employees can carry daily while reinforcing the company’s commitment to employee well-being.

Optional Add-Ons for a “WOW” Moment

Custom Tote Bag

A branded tote bag provides a convenient way for employees to carry onboarding materials and daily essentials while promoting the company brand.

Custom Packaging

Custom packaging creates an engaging unboxing experience that elevates the presentation of the entire onboarding kit.

Personalized Coffee Mug

A personalized coffee mug adds a warm, thoughtful feeling to the onboarding kit, helping new hires feel recognized.

Company Hat

A branded hat is a casual, wearable item that builds team pride and extends brand visibility beyond the office.

Challenges of Managing Onboarding Kits

While employee onboarding kits are valuable, managing them can be complicated, especially for organizations with multiple offices, departments, or remote employees.

Common challenges include:

• Inconsistent branding across locations or departments
• Wasted time manually collecting items from various vendors
• Budget tracking difficulties
• Limited visibility into which employees have received kits

Without a streamlined system, teams often scramble to assemble onboarding materials at the last minute.

How to Streamline Onboarding Kit Fulfillment

One of the easiest ways to simplify onboarding kit management is by using a centralized ordering platform.

PortalPro allows organizations to manage all onboarding materials in one place. Instead of coordinating multiple vendors and manual orders, companies can create a branded portal where employees or administrators can easily order approved items.

With PortalPro, companies can:

• Select pre-approved, on-brand items
• Place orders with role-based permissions
• Automate shipping to new hires (even remote)
• Track budgets and kit usage in real time

This approach removes the hassle of managing multiple suppliers while ensuring every onboarding kit stays consistent with brand guidelines.

Real Benefits of Using PortalPro for New Hire Kits

PortalPro simplifies the entire onboarding kit process. By centralizing materials on a single platform, companies can eliminate sourcing challenges, reduce administrative work, and maintain consistent brand standards.

It also improves the new hire experience by ensuring kits arrive complete, organized, and ready to use. With customizable templates and easy ordering, companies can personalize onboarding materials while keeping designs aligned with brand guidelines.

Another major advantage is scalability. Whether you’re onboarding five employees or five hundred, PortalPro grows with your company and keeps the process simple.

If you want to take the hassle out of gathering materials for your onboarding kits while also keeping a consistent brand image along the way, schedule a PortalPro demo today.