Shipping Employee Welcome Packages Worldwide: The Complete Guide | Service Bureau Jansen

Employee Welcome Packages:
The Complete Guide to Worldwide Shipping

First impressions matter. For international teams, employee welcome packages are the first tangible connection with their new employer. A well-executed onboarding gift shows: "You're valued, no matter where you live." This guide covers everything HR teams need to know about successfully shipping welcome packages to new employees worldwide.

Why Employee Welcome Packages Work

The impact of well-organized onboarding cannot be underestimated. For international teams, a physical welcome package is often the first tangible contact with the new employer – and first impressions stick.

The Numbers Speak for Themselves

82% higher retention in organizations with effective onboarding (Glassdoor)
20% of new employees leave within 45 days without proper onboarding
40% more engagement experienced by international teams when they receive physical welcome gifts

For remote and international employees, the challenge is even greater. Without daily physical contact with colleagues, feelings of isolation can quickly set in. A thoughtfully assembled welcome package bridges this distance and shows: "You're welcome, regardless of where you live."

Companies that invest in international employee welcome packages see measurable results in engagement, productivity, and loyalty. However, organizing them brings logistical complexity that many HR teams underestimate.

7 Best Practices for International Welcome Packages

1 Timing is Everything

Send the welcome package one week before the start date. This allows enough time for international shipping and ensures new employees have something to look forward to on day one. It creates anticipation and strengthens commitment before they even begin.

2 Language as Personal Touch

Personalize the welcome letter in the recipient's language. A Spanish employee in Madrid appreciates a personal message in Spanish – it shows you've made the effort and see the person, not just the position.

3 Compliance & Customs

International shipping means dealing with customs regulations. Ensure your documentation is in order and preferably work with DDP (Delivered Duty Paid) shipping, so the recipient doesn't get unexpected costs. Account for geopolitical factors that may delay shipping.

4 Personalization Increases Impact

Add name, job title, and a personal message to each package. This can be on the welcome card, but also by engraving or embroidering items with the new employee's name. It makes the difference between "a standard package" and "my welcome gift".

5 Track & Trace for HR

Ensure your HR team knows when each package arrives. With tracking, they can proactively communicate with new employees and report any delays in time. Nothing is more frustrating than an employee asking on day one where the package is.

6 Sustainability Matters

Choose eco-friendly items and packaging. Reusable water bottles, sustainable notebooks, and recycled materials align with modern corporate values and are appreciated by new generations of talent.

7 Budget Realistically

The market average is between €75-150 per package, depending on composition and shipping destination. Tech companies with different job levels sometimes choose tiered packages: a basic kit, professional kit, and executive kit.

Work with one fulfilment partner who masters international shipping. This saves HR teams endless hours of coordination and prevents errors.

What Goes Into a Strong Welcome Package?

The contents of an employee welcome package should be practical, meaningful, and brand-focused. Based on experience with hundreds of international rollouts, these are the most common and appreciated items:

Essential Components

Branded apparel: A hoodie or T-shirt with company logo creates immediate brand identity and pride
Work essentials: Notebook, pen, and water bottle are daily usable and keep the brand top-of-mind
Tech accessories: Laptop stickers, USB drive, mouse, or keyboard – practical items that complete the home office setup
Personal welcome letter: A handwritten or personalized card from the manager or CEO makes it personal
Onboarding guide: Both digital and physical – an overview of company culture, processes, and contact persons

Some companies choose standardized packages to guarantee consistency. Others adapt items per role or region. Both approaches work, as long as quality and brand experience remain consistent.

Pens, water bottles, and notebooks are timeless classics that always land well. Invest in quality – a high-quality pen is used for years and daily reminds of the warm welcome.

Logistical Challenges (and How to Solve Them)

International shipping of employee welcome packages brings unique challenges. Here are the main obstacles and how to address them:

Customs Costs: Who Pays?

Choose DDP (Delivered Duty Paid) shipping. This means all customs costs and VAT are paid upfront, so the recipient doesn't get an unexpected bill. In 9 out of 10 cases, this is the best option for employee packages.

Address Management at Scale

With dozens or hundreds of international employees, address management becomes complex. Work with systems that can process addresses in a structured way – either via a portal or via well-organized Excel files with validation.

Realistic Delivery Times

Communicate honestly about expectations. International averages: Europe 3-5 business days, North America 7-10 days, Asia 10-14 days. Account for delays due to customs or geopolitical situations in certain regions.

Damaged Packages

Ensure clear agreements: are damaged packages automatically replaced? In practice, it works best to first communicate briefly about the damage, and then immediately send a replacement package. This prevents frustration and shows you take the experience seriously.

Case Study: Tech Company with 70-Country Rollout

"We handle 200+ welcome packages monthly for a global tech company. From San Francisco to Sydney, every package arrives on time and complete."

The Challenge

A rapidly growing tech company expanded from 500 to 2,000 employees worldwide. Their HR team struggled with inconsistent onboarding experiences: packages arrived late, products didn't always match, and certain items couldn't be shipped to specific countries due to embargoes.

The Solution

The company developed three standardized welcome kits (basic, professional, executive) with Service Bureau Jansen as fulfilment partner. Through flexible sourcing per country, compliance was ensured – such as when a computer mouse couldn't be shipped to Taiwan due to an embargo. Within 48 hours, an alternative product was sourced and processed.

The Result

Today we ship an average of 200 packages monthly to more than 70 countries. Every new employee receives their welcome kit one week before their start date, complete with a personalized welcome letter in their own language. The consistent onboarding experience has contributed to higher employee satisfaction and faster time-to-productivity.

Ready for Global Employee Onboarding?

Whether you're just starting with international hiring or want to professionalize your current process – Service Bureau Jansen has the expertise to ship employee welcome packages flawlessly to any destination.

Source Attribution

This guide is based on insights from the following sources:

Glassdoor Research (2024). "Employee Onboarding Statistics"
Vantage Circle (2025). "How to Craft an Employee Welcome Kit with 21 Kit Ideas"
SnackNation (2025). "45 Best New Employee Welcome Kits, Boxes, & Packages For Onboarding"
SwagMagic (2025). "New Employee Welcome Gifts & Onboarding Kits"
BenefitHub (2025). "15 Welcome Gifts for New Employees to Make Them Feel Valued"