New hire packets: You never get a second chance at a first impression

One of the first impressions new employees will have of your organization will be made by the new hire packet they receive as part of their onboarding process. This packet of information and forms can do more than help tick off necessary first-day-on-the-job to dos. It can give them an understanding of your organization’s culture and values—and set the stage for their confidence and engagement in their benefits. Are the materials in your new hire packet easy to use and understand? Are they attractive and professionally designed? Do they give your newest employees a great first impression?

The value of a great first impression

Large corporations and companies in sectors that are constantly competing for scarce talent know the value of putting a good foot forward, treating every employee communication as an opportunity to attract, retain, and boost employee satisfaction. But sometimes smaller companies, non-profits and multiemployer trusts can overlook the importance of a good first impression when it comes to their benefit plan materials.

There is real value in simplifying, streamlining, consolidating, and having a professional, consistent look and feel for your new hire packet to help inspire confidence and remove the anxieties employees can feel about getting it all right when it comes to understanding and signing up for their benefits.

How we can help

We recently helped two clients update their “first impressions.”

Washington Teamsters Welfare Trust is a multiemployer Taft-Hartley trust. Working together with their Plan Administrator, we overhauled the new hire packet, aligning the new participant mailing with the WATWT brand and streamlining forms and information.

The Independent Clinics of Washington has a unique first impression challenge: they need to appeal to Medicare patients, while also highlighting and appealing to the doctors and clinics they represent. To arm providers with information that they can share with their patients about joining ICW, we created attractive, educational materials that are clear, eye-catching, and written with an older population in mind.