{"id":2823,"date":"2023-04-28T16:57:22","date_gmt":"2023-04-28T20:57:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blissbook.com\/blog\/?p=2823"},"modified":"2023-07-25T06:02:15","modified_gmt":"2023-07-25T10:02:15","slug":"how-to-create-a-welcome-statement-for-an-employee-handbook","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blissbook.com\/blog\/how-to-create-a-welcome-statement-for-an-employee-handbook\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Create a Welcome Statement for an Employee Handbook"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Welcome statements are the first thing employees read when they join an organization and review the employee handbook. Your welcome statement sets the tone for the work culture and makes a lasting impression on new hires. Plus, current employees may re-read it when they look to the employee handbook for answers to questions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Creating an effective welcome statement is crucial for companies that want to build a positive and productive work environment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this article, we’ll discuss what a welcome statement is, why it’s important, and how to create one that sets the right tone for your organization. By the end of this article, you’ll have a clear understanding of the guidelines for writing a welcome statement, examples of effective welcome statements, and a detailed process for crafting your own. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let’s dive in!<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

What is a Welcome Statement in an Employee Handbook?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Your welcome statement should be one of the first elements of your employee handbook<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By starting off with a warm intro, you\u2019re giving employees a taste of your company culture. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Generally, a welcome statement is produced from the perspective of someone on your leadership team, like the chief executive officer (CEO) or the head of human resources. In some situations, companies prefer to have a team provide the welcome statement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your welcome statement doesn\u2019t have to be a feat of literary genius. Instead, it should share some basic information, like why it\u2019s an excellent workplace and how the company came to be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Welcome statements commonly take the form of written letters, often accompanied by a photo of the leader. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Digital handbooks can contain embedded video greetings, which can be especially beneficial for large organizations and those with employees spread across vast geography \u2013 which is more and more common even in small teams in this post-COVID world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An effective welcome statement is conversational and friendly and eases new employees into your organization. It doesn\u2019t need to get into any specifics. Instead, it\u2019s a feel-good piece that makes new hires more confident about joining your team.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

5 Guidelines for Creating Your Welcome Statement<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

1 – Start Your Handbook with the Welcome Statement<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Your welcome statement should be one of the first things (if not the very first) after your employee handbook\u2019s cover page. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The welcome statement can go before or after the table of contents as long as it\u2019s the first proper introduction in the handbook.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It may be tempting to start with a disclaimer section, like \u201cAbout this Handbook\u201d<\/em><\/strong> or \u201cEmployment At-Will\u201d, <\/em><\/strong>but that screams, \u201cYou\u2019re entering a legal transaction between two adversarial parties\u201d<\/em> to employees, which you want to avoid if at all possible. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead, you want your employee handbook to feel more like, \u201cYou\u2019re joining a team on a mission with some rules for how we work together successfully.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

 It will help engage your employees and encourage them to continue reading.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2 – Use a Conversational Tone<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When crafting a welcome statement, keep it casual. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chances are many other portions of your employee handbook will convey the message that your company is professional, responsible, and all that extra stuff legal wants you to have. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

With that in mind, make the most of this opportunity to be conversational and write as though you\u2019re penning a letter to a friend whom you trust.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If your welcome statement comes across as stuffy or arrogant, you\u2019ll start from a disadvantage. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Keep it lighthearted. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

3 – Emphasize Your Company Culture<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Most likely, your welcome statement will be followed by general information about your company\u2019s culture, such as your mission, vision, or core values. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

That said, your welcome statement can serve as a soft introduction to some of that cultural information. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, if teamwork is one of your values, maybe the welcome statement emphasizes the importance of working together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your welcome statement is a great place to embrace the idea of \u201cshow, don\u2019t tell.\u201d <\/em>How can you show your employees some of the things that your company stands for?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4 – Keep it Positive<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Your welcome statement should be as positive as possible. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other company policies and procedures will inevitably touch on prohibited conduct and different types of disciplinary action. Let the seriousness wait until then. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If employees are enjoying your welcome statement, then stumble upon a line reminding them that they can be terminated; you\u2019ve probably done more harm than good.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Including consequences in your handbook is okay, but that should come later. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

5 – Keep it Short and to the Point<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s a fine line between \u201cfriendly\u201d <\/em>and \u201cwe get it already.\u201d<\/em> It\u2019s best to keep your welcome statement short and sweet, ideally about three paragraphs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If it\u2019s too short, it\u2019s unlikely to create the feel-good vibes highlighted above. On the contrary, those positive messages can get lost if it’s too long \u2014 or your employees will zone out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Welcome new employees, begin building rapport, look toward the future, then quit while you\u2019re ahead. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

3 Welcome Statement Examples for Inspiration<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In addition to providing the guidelines listed above, we want to share examples of other companies’ employee handbook welcome statements as a source of creative inspiration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This section includes three examples of welcome statements in employee handbooks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Welcome Statement Example 1 – Acme Incorporated<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

First, here\u2019s a welcome statement example from one of Blissbook\u2019s sample handbooks<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"sample<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Welcome Statement Example 2 – Pronto Marketing<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This example from Pronto Marketing<\/a> takes an entirely different approach in its tone and length, but it successfully conveys a commitment to teamwork. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Plus, the company-specific terms create a feeling of being an insider. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Welcome Statement Example 3 – The University of Florida<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Another short and sweet example comes out of the University of Florida<\/a>. It\u2019s conversational and optimistic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

How to Create a Welcome Statement for Your Company Handbook<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

First things first, decide who you want the message to come from. Many welcome statements come from the CEO, but others come from the Chief People Officer or another person in leadership. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some companies co-sign a written statement, and others use video capabilities to feature more than one person easily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When determining the content of your message, it\u2019s helpful to review your company mission, vision, and values. These often summarize the what, why, and how of what you do. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s a good idea for the welcome statement to answer some of these questions:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n