The Real ROI of a Premium Employee Welcome Pack: Why People & Culture Teams Are Rethinking Onboarding Merchandise

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Onboarding merch that actually works: why People & Culture teams are investing in the details

In 2025, first impressions are everything. For People & Culture managers, onboarding is no longer a checklist, it’s a culture moment.

A thoughtfully designed employee welcome pack signals that your brand invests in people from day one. It sets expectations, tells your story, and builds belonging before the first team meeting even begins.

Corporate onboarding merchandise as more than just branded items, it’s a strategic tool for retention, engagement and employer branding. When your onboarding kit reflects your Employee Value Proposition (EVP) and aligns with your company’s values, it delivers measurable ROI from reducing early attrition to strengthening brand love across your organisation.

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First impressions count: how premium welcome packs deliver ROI

A premium employee welcome pack does more than make a new hire smile, it delivers measurable impact. Recent academic research highlights that structured onboarding programs significantly improve employee engagement, well-being, and organisational commitment, all of which directly reduce turnover intention (Klein, Polin & Sutton 2019; Journal of Business Economics 2025).

In fact, the 2025 study found that effective onboarding practices explained over 65% of the variance in turnover intention, proving that intentional onboarding experiences and the tangible tools that support them, build stronger, longer-lasting teams.

When new hires receive high-quality onboarding merchandise for Australian corporates, such as the Billie Tote, Base Bottle, or Lily Yearly Planner, they’re not just receiving branded items. They’re experiencing your brand’s culture, care, and quality as a physical representation of your Employee Value Proposition (EVP).

These branded onboarding kits that deliver ROI and reflect your values help drive retention and engagement from the very first day. Each item reinforces your brand promise and creates daily touchpoints that turn onboarding moments into long-term loyalty. That’s the true power of premium employee welcome packs that drive retention and engagement. They make your people feel seen, valued, and part of something worth staying for.

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Culture in a box: Building brand love from day one

Your onboarding merchandise is a physical expression of your culture. It’s how new employees see and feel your brand from the very beginning, your tone, your design aesthetic, your values.

From colour-matched stationery to sustainably printed notebooks, a branded welcome pack can reinforce your company identity in subtle but powerful ways. These tangible symbols of belonging create pride and emotional connection, the foundation of brand love.When new hires wear your logo or use your merch daily, they’re not just representing your brand they’re living it.

To see this in action, explore our related blog: Boost Company Culture with This Onboarding Swag.

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Merch that reflects your values: ESG accountability matters.

Modern employees notice the details. They want to know that your merch, like your brand, aligns with ethical and sustainable values. That’s why People & Culture leaders are prioritising Australian-made onboarding kits and eco-friendly employee welcome gifts, because ESG accountability isn’t just a corporate responsibility, it’s part of the EVP promise.

At Merchgirls, our locally decorated and ethically produced merchandise supports your sustainability commitments with:

• Prioritising certified inputs such as GOTS certified inks and recycled materials or responsible materials.
  
  
• BSCI and SEDEX-accredited suppliers
  
  
• Carbon-positive freight and minimal packaging.
  
  

Your onboarding merch can now do better, and it should, one that elevates your growing commitment to the planet, combine this with relevance and product quality and you have a product that builds respect among employees not just brand love. 

See Merchgirls ESG

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Consistency at scale: onboarding that looks as good as it feels.

As teams grow and hybrid work becomes the norm, People & Culture managers face a new challenge: delivering onboarding experiences that feel consistent, relevant, and elevated across every location. That’s where corporate welcome packs for hybrid teams make all the difference.

At Merchgirls, we curate each employee onboarding kit with purpose blending premium, design-led pieces that reflect your brand’s identity and values. Every item is considered, cohesive, and chosen to feel part of a story, not a stock list. It’s about relevance, style, and longevity — merch that people actually want to use, wear, and keep.

For growing organisations, our fulfilment and ordering systems make scaling effortless. Through custom merch portals, HR and People & Culture teams can easily manage repeat onboarding orders, access pre-approved branded ranges, and maintain consistency as teams expand.

These consistent onboarding kits ensure every new starter, whether in Melbourne, Sydney, or working remotely receives a premium, on-brand experience. Curated. Controlled. Seamless. That's an onboarding merch designed to grow with you.

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The third impression: lasting impact beyond day one.

The best onboarding kits don’t stop working after Day 1.They continue to deliver brand engagement long after the first week in offices, at home desks, and on social media.

When employees love what they receive, they post it. They tag your brand. They become advocates. That’s when your employee welcome pack moves beyond a box, it becomes a culture moment, shared publicly.

Every tote carried, notebook used, or cap worn reinforces brand recognition and pride. That’s the kind of ROI no spreadsheet can fully capture.

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Partner with a merch team that understands People & Culture

The best onboarding experiences happen when design meets intention. Merchgirls collaborates directly with HR and People & Culture teams to design bespoke onboarding merchandise that’s:

• Premium in feel and form
  
  
• Locally made and ethically sourced
  
  
• Logistically seamless across Australia
  
  

Whether you’re refreshing your corporate welcome packs or launching a new employee onboarding kit, our team will help you create merch that works for people, planet, and performance.

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FAQs: Employee Welcome Packs & Onboarding Kits

Q: What should be included in a premium employee welcome pack?
What’s in your employee welcome pack should reflect your industry, brand identity, and the specific needs of your team. For example:

• Tech onboarding kits might include branded charging ports, laptop cases, backpacks, or cable organisers — essentials for hybrid or remote setups.
  
  
• Finance or corporate welcome packs often feature premium notebooks, pens, laptop sleeves, and stainless-steel water bottles — balancing functionality and brand polish.
  
  
• Creative or marketing teams may prefer design-led accessories, apparel, or premium desk stationery that bring their brand personality to life.
  
  

The key is relevance and longevity, curating items that suit your people, their workday, and your brand story. At Merchgirls, our senior Account Managers bring years of experience helping clients refine their choices with industry best practices and fully custom-branded items. They’ll guide you through what works for your audience, your budget, and your brand — ensuring every welcome pack feels both relevant and exceptional.

See examples in our Short Lead Time Merch Guide.

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Q: How does onboarding merchandise improve retention?

Employees who feel welcomed and valued from day one are more engaged and less likely to leave. A branded onboarding kit, gifted as part of a structured onboarding process that introduces business systems, key people, and company culture, reinforces belonging, builds pride, and strengthens connection, driving long-term retention and engagement.

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Q: Can onboarding merch support our ESG and sustainability goals?

Absolutely. Merchgirls specialises in ethically produced, Australian-made onboarding merchandise that supports your ESG and procurement frameworks.

Our supply partners are BSCI and SEDEX–audited, and we prioritise materials certified to GOTS and OEKO-TEX standards. We also use carbon-positive freight and minimal packaging, with every order to reduce waste. This means your employee welcome packs don’t just look good, they help your business meet ESG reporting requirements, strengthen ethical sourcing practices, and demonstrate genuine commitment to sustainability and transparency.

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Q: When’s the best time to order onboarding or welcome kits?

Ideally, you should start planning your employee welcome packs 4–6 weeks before a new starter’s first day — earlier if you’re onboarding multiple hires or coordinating across locations. This allows time for product curation, design approvals, branding, and delivery ensuring every onboarding kit arrives ready to impress.

For larger or ongoing recruitment cycles, we recommend setting up a rolling onboarding schedule or pre-approved merch menu. That way, new hires always receive a consistent, premium welcome experience without last-minute scrambling. Our team can help you forecast quantities and manage lead times to keep your onboarding running smoothly, year-round.

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Q: When would a portal be suitable for onboarding and office merch?

A Merchgirls portal is ideal for businesses that order merchandise regularly or across multiple departments.
If you:

• Order onboarding kits or corporate merch all year round
  
  
• Have limited storage space for bulk orders
  
  
• Need HR, Marketing, or Office teams to access and place orders directly
  
  
• Want consistent branding and fast, tracked delivery nationwide.

…then a custom merch portal is the perfect solution.

Your portal can host your approved product range from onboarding kits to corporate gifts and event merch, all available to order on demand. It keeps your brand consistent, your process efficient, and your cupboards clutter-free.

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Let’s build your next onboarding moment. Discover how a premium employee welcome pack can turn first impressions into lasting engagement.

→ Get in touch with Merchgirls or request our Merch Menu today

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References

Klein, HJ, Polin, B & Sutton, KL 2019, ‘Specific onboarding practices for the socialization of new employees’, Frontiers in Psychology, vol. 10, no. 2676, viewed 28 October 2025, https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6692168/.

Onboarding: a key to employee retention and workplace well-being 2025, Journal of Business Economics, Springer Nature, viewed 28 October 2025, https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11846-025-00864-3

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