Last updated 18 September 2026. Prices are single-unit list prices from our catalogue on that date, before bulk tiers; every product named is linked so you can check the current figure.
The short answer
A good onboarding kit is five things on the new joiner's desk on day one — something to drink from, something to write in, something to carry, something for the desk, and a welcome note from a named person — in a box that carries the company's name once. It costs ₹500 to ₹2,500 per joiner depending on tier, is ordered as a monthly standing order against the hiring plan, and ships to the office or straight to a remote joiner's home. Leave out sized apparel, perishables, anything gendered, and anything that needs IT to set up.
What an onboarding kit is actually for
Not swag. The kit's job is to make a desk feel occupied before the person has a login, and to make the first photo they send home look like a company that had them in mind. That has two consequences for what goes in it: every item should be usable on day one without instructions, and the branding should be light — a logo on the box and the card, not on every object, because a desk covered in logos reads as merchandise, not welcome.
The five things every kit needs
- Something to drink from. A bottle or mug that replaces the plastic one: the eco bamboo bottle at ₹899, the eco glass bottle at ₹299, or the rice-husk coffee mug at ₹149 with the joiner's name on it. Used every day, seen by everyone.
- Something to write in. The eco bamboo notebook at ₹279 with the bamboo click pen at ₹150 — engravable, and the first thing used in the first meeting.
- Something to carry. A tote or a pouch: the Eco Cork Nature set with a reusable tote at ₹1,549 solves items one to three at once; the hard EVA tech pouch at ₹1,399 for a hybrid joiner whose desk travels.
- Something for the desk. The modular desk organiser with device charging at ₹549 or the stainless-steel perpetual calendar at ₹399 — pieces that stay on the desk for years and carry the logo discreetly.
- The welcome note. A printed card with the joiner's name and a message signed by their manager, not "the HR team". Free on every order and the item people photograph.
Six things to leave out
- Sized apparel. T-shirts and hoodies need a size you do not have on day one, and a wrong size is worse than nothing. If apparel matters, send it in week two after asking.
- Perishables. A kit that waits in reception for a delayed start date should not contain cookies. Tea and coffee are the exception — sealed, dated, and welcome.
- Anything gendered. One kit for everyone; the card is where it becomes personal.
- Tech that needs IT. Chargers and cables, yes; anything that has to be paired, provisioned or explained, no.
- Logo on every object. Box, card, maybe the notebook. The bottle they carry to a café should not be an advertisement.
- Novelty. Stress balls, desk toys, fidget things. They are the first items to leave the desk.
What an onboarding kit costs per joiner
Each bar is a real combination from the catalogue; bulk tiers from 25 units bring every figure down.
- About ₹500 — rice-husk mug (₹149), bamboo notebook (₹279) and pen (₹150) with a printed card in a kraft box. Everything, nothing extra. For high-volume hiring — a support floor, a plant, a retail chain.
- About ₹1,000 — the eco bamboo bottle (₹899) or glass bottle plus the notebook and pen, or the premium eco stationery kit at ₹299 with a bottle. The band most companies land in.
- About ₹1,500 — one box that does the whole job: First Day at ₹1,449 (a Bluetooth speaker, travel cup, scented candle, coffee and welcome card in a jute rope basket), Cork Prime 4-in-1 at ₹1,449, or the Bamboo Tech 4-in-1 work-from-home set at ₹1,549 for remote joiners.
- About ₹2,500 — the executive tier: Bamboo Luxe 4-in-1 with a flask at ₹2,499 or the Bamboo 7-in-1 executive hamper at ₹2,599, for senior hires and lateral leadership joiners.
Bulk pricing starts at 25 units and steps down with quantity; a standing order across a quarter's hiring plan usually qualifies for the tier even when each month's batch is smaller. The full range is at employee welcome kits, and the year-round view at gifts for employees.
Remote and hybrid joiners
A kit that arrives at the office for someone who starts from home is a kit nobody opens. Send the address list with the order; dispatch is quoted by address count, every parcel is tracked, and the card still carries the manager's name. Ready-to-ship pieces leave within 24–48 hours of payment and reach most Indian cities in 3–5 working days, so a Monday start needs the order the previous Tuesday. For a joiner abroad, courier is quoted by destination.
How to run it: the standing order
- Fix the kit once a year. One design, one box, one card template with two blanks — name and manager.
- Order against the hiring plan. A quarter's expected joiners in one order, held and dispatched in monthly batches, gets the quarter's tier and removes the monthly scramble.
- Sample before the first run. A finished kit — box, card, contents — in the hands of whoever signs off, before 25 more are made.
- Keep ten in reception. Unplanned joiners exist. Ten unbranded-card kits and a printer cover them.
- Review at appraisal season. Ask ten joiners which item they still use. Drop the one nobody names.
The two tax lines HR should know
For the employee: gifts from an employer are a tax-free perquisite up to an aggregate of ₹5,000 in a financial year (Income-tax Rule 3(7)(iv)); an onboarding kit at ₹500–2,500 sits inside that, but it counts toward the same year's Diwali and anniversary gifts. For the company: the GST on the kit is generally a cost, not a credit — Section 17(5)(h) blocks input tax credit on goods given away as gifts — so budget the landed figure. Every order ships with a GST invoice with HSN codes. The full rules, including hamper rates after the September 2025 slabs, are in our guide to GST on corporate gifts.
Frequently asked questions
What should be in an employee onboarding kit?
Five things: something to drink from, something to write in, something to carry, something for the desk, and a welcome card signed by the joiner's manager — in a box that carries the company name once. Bottle, notebook and pen, tote or pouch, desk organiser or calendar, card.
How much does an onboarding kit cost in India?
₹500 for a mug, notebook and pen; about ₹1,000 with a bamboo bottle; about ₹1,500 for a complete boxed kit such as First Day or a 4-in-1 cork or bamboo set; about ₹2,500 for an executive set. Bulk tiers start at 25 units.
Can onboarding kits be sent to remote employees' homes?
Yes — send the address list; dispatch is quoted by address count with tracking per parcel. Ready-to-ship kits leave within 24–48 hours of payment and reach most Indian cities in 3–5 working days.
Should the onboarding kit be branded?
Lightly: logo on the box and the card, a discreet mark on the notebook if wanted, nothing on the bottle or mug. The joiner's name on the card and engraved on the notebook does more for the first day than a logo does.
Is an onboarding kit taxable for the employee?
Not within the ₹5,000 aggregate annual limit for employer gifts under Rule 3(7)(iv); plan the year's gifts per employee so the kit, the Diwali hamper and any anniversary gift stay inside it together. Confirm with your payroll team.
What is the minimum order for onboarding kits?
Bulk pricing starts at 25 units; a quarter's hiring plan ordered together and dispatched monthly qualifies for the tier. Smaller batches are possible on ready-to-ship pieces.
The Happiness Story assembles and ships onboarding kits and employee gifts across India, with one GST invoice per order and a sample before the run. To brief a kit, send expected joiners per month, the per-joiner budget and whether joiners are office-based or remote through the corporate enquiry form. Comparing vendors first? Read our top 10 corporate gifting companies in India.