A ready-to-use 30-minute agenda for welcoming a new hire with low-pressure icebreaker games. Includes a minute-by-minute plan, sample host script, remote adaptation, and practical tips for HR, managers, and onboarding facilitators.
This agenda is designed for HR managers, people operations teams, direct managers, and onboarding buddies who want to run a structured, low-pressure welcome session for a new employee. It works for a single new hire or a small onboarding cohort. Every activity is optional — the new hire can participate at their own comfort level.
| Time | Activity | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| 0:00–0:03 | Warm welcome | 3 min |
| 0:03–0:08 | First Day One Word | 5 min |
| 0:08–0:18 | Hometown Map or Role and Superpower | 10 min |
| 0:18–0:25 | New Hire Question Cards | 7 min |
| 0:25–0:30 | Questions and next steps | 5 min |
Use this as a starting point. Make it your own.
"Hi [Name], welcome! I am so glad you are here. Before we jump into anything, I would love to do a very quick check-in — totally optional. If you are comfortable, what is one word for how you are feeling right now? I will go first: [your word]."
"Thank you. Next, I would love for us to each share a place that matters to us — where we are from, where we live, or somewhere we love. No exact location needed. I will start: [your place]."
"Let me pull up a couple of question cards. [Name], feel free to answer or pass on any of these."
"Before we wrap up — [Name], what questions do you have right now? Anything at all."
30 minutes is a comfortable length. It allows time for a brief introduction, 2-3 short activities, and a gentle close — without overwhelming the new hire on their first day.
A good agenda includes a warm welcome, 2-3 short activities (2-5 minutes each), time for the new hire to ask questions, and a clear next step.
Yes. A remote-adapted version is included above. Use screen sharing and let people participate via chat or camera.
Yes. The manager should go first to model the expected tone — brief, authentic, and low-pressure.