A HOD once suggested to HR that we should create a fancy onboarding kit.
You know… that beautiful welcome box. Probably comes with a notebook, a pen, a company mug, and a well-designed printed welcome note.
HIs logic was simple. “So that new hires have something to post on their Instagram Story on their first day.”
Now, don’t get me wrong. An onboarding kit is nice to have.
But if the onboarding experience itself is mediocre or worse, unpleasant, no fancy box in the world can save that.
Did anyone welcome the new employee warmly?
Did their direct manager actually prepare for their arrival?
Did HR make them feel like the company is genuinely happy they joined?
When the first-day experience is thoughtful and human, I’m sure it doesn’t just stop at their Instagram Story.
People talk to people.
We want new employees to talk about how excited they are to join the company.
We want new employees to feel everyone was nice to them.
We want new employees to validate their decision that they made the right one to join us.
Now, that kind of employer branding is far more powerful.
xoxoxo, AuntyHR
P.S. If you’re curious how people actually experience you as an HR professional, we run a First Impression Reality Check social experience in my workshop How to HR With Influence with AuntyHR™ on May 11th, 2026 at Le Méridien PJ.
For more information, visit: auntyhr.net/events
