How to Create Great “Welcome to the Team” Posts

Have you noticed how companies are getting more personal on social media lately?

While it may feel like they’re trying to re-enact a few sitcoms, what we’re seeing in many of these cases is the sweeping success of employee-focused content.

This trend explains the rise of employee-generated content, social media takeovers, and the topic of today’s article: Welcoming new team members with a public shoutout.

Aside from making the new hire feel special, these posts are a low-key brilliant way to showcase a company’s culture, attract talent, and make brands feel human, relatable…even likable!

In this article, we’ll show you how to own this trend by:

• Listing the best platforms to post.
• Breaking down what you need to write the perfect “Welcome to the team” social media post.
• Sharing examples from leading companies doing it.

Plus, we’ll throw in a few tips on how to avoid making these posts cringey.

By the end, you’ll be crafting “Welcome to the team” posts that aren’t just polite, but powerful and purposeful within your social media marketing strategy.

Publicly welcoming employees on social media: Pros and cons

Welcoming posts are simple and carry a key message: “We’re not just a business; we’re a community.”

But as with anything we try on social channels, there are pros and cons attached. Let’s start with the good stuff.

Pros:

• Build company culture: These posts strengthen the sense of community and shared values within the company.
• Morale booster: Public recognition can boost the new hire’s morale and make them feel valued.
• Employer branding opportunity: To share a company’s culture, workplace, and routine with the audience.
• Attract talent: By treating people well and showing how good they have it at the workplace, brands can attract new talent.
• Help with transparency: The more natural these posts are, the better, as transparency is a key factor in improving brand trust.

Cons:

• Overexposure: Frequent posts can feel repetitive or insincere, diluting the impact.
• Risk of miscommunication: If details are inaccurate or the tone feels fabricated, these posts can drive disenchantment in the audience and the protagonists.
• Pressure on new hires: Some people will agree to do these posts because they’re new and don’t want to start on the wrong foot. Make sure to let new hires know that a quieter onboarding experience is just as good!

Best social media platforms for “Welcome to the team” posts

Since each social media channel has its vibe, matching the message to the medium is important.

In our experience, here’s where to go if you’re looking to make intros count:

• LinkedIn: The go-to spot for professional announcements. Plus, it gives your new team member the chance to connect with industry members on the spot.
• Instagram and TikTok: If your brand leans into creativity, these are your playgrounds. The idea is to introduce with a bit of flair – think Stories, Reels, or even a quick video. It’s not just about the message; it’s about how you deliver it.
• X, Reddit, YouTube: We don’t recommend introducing new hires on these platforms. The vibe is not right, and the audience is looking for different content in these places.

The most important channel to share “Welcome to the team” posts will be those where your employer branding pages or profiles are. Below is an example of such a post in an employer branding social media page (in this case, by Meta):

How so? Simple – you’ve been cultivating an audience there for a while already, and that’s the kind of content that fits the channel perfectly.

What to include in a “Welcome to the Team” post

A good “Welcome to the team” post introduces someone new and gives the audience a glimpse of company culture.

If you manage to do that, you’ll likely do well as crafting these posts requires hitting the right notes without overdoing it. Here’s the playbook for what to include.

Essentials:

• Consent: This one’s non-negotiable. Always check with your new hire before posting anything about them. Some people love the spotlight; others prefer to keep things more low-key.
• Name and role of the new hire: Introduce them by name and highlight their new role.
• A brief bio: A few lines about their previous experience or what makes them a great fit for the role adds depth to the introduction. Think of it like a mini LinkedIn summary – enough to impress but not overwhelm.
• Welcoming words from the company: This is where the heart comes in. Keep it genuine and drop corporate jargon as much as you can.
• Photo: Visuals bring the post to life. Whether an individual or team photo, it’s vital to include one in these posts…unless you agree to a video/reel, which is better.

Potential add-ons:

• Fun facts: Maybe they’re a marathon runner or a foodie who likes spicy concoctions. These little personal tidbits make the post relatable.
• Video: Quick video introductions add personality and tend to generate engagement.
• Memes: If your brand allows for it and you’re not overusing them, don’t shy away from memes. Just make sure it aligns with the company’s tone, as you don’t want it to feel forced or out of character.

In short, the goal is to hit the right mix of professionalism and personality. Keep the essentials front and center, but don’t be afraid to get creative to make it stand out.

How to publish: Operative aspects

There are a few steps that will make sure everything goes smoothly before publishing.

The first rule of thumb? Don’t rush it.

Wait until the onboarding process is complete and the new hire has had time to settle into their role and team. This way, the post will feel more genuine, both for them and your audience.

Then, triple-check the post for accuracy.

You don’t want to get someone’s name or role wrong on a public platform. It’s a simple step, but it can save you from an embarrassing post-publish scramble to fix mistakes.

Finally, make sure that the new hire wants to be publicly recognized. Some might feel pressured by the situation and say “yes” to not appear as contrarian early on, but deep down, they might not be okay with the whole thing.

Post-publishing actions

The work isn’t over after the post goes live. Once the post is up, monitor the activity closely. Keep an eye on comments, and don’t hesitate to jump in with replies. A little interaction can go a long way in keeping the conversation lively.

At the same time, amplify.

Encourage team members to share it across their social networks, and take it one step further by looping in the execs.

If this new hire is a key addition, consider featuring the welcome post as part of the broader executive social media strategy. When leaders get involved, it signals the importance of the hire and adds a personal touch that carries weight.

Examples of “Welcome to the team” posts

In this section, we’ll look at examples that show how to make your welcome messages more than a formality.

We’ll kickstart the series with a company two examples from social media giants: Meta and Reddit.

In the post above, Meta goes above and beyond by sharing a thorough “Welcome to the team” post about a new intern.

In it, you can see both the essential and additional aspects that such a post must include, such as the employee’s name, role, and bio, along with photos, quotes, and fun facts. Head over to LinkedIn if you want to check out the full post and reactions.

Our second example is a post by Reddit, in which the company does a follow-up post to the classic “Welcome to the team” ones.

In it, they celebrate the interns who joined the company in 2024 with games, pics, and words of encouragement.

Next on our list is a post by last-mile delivery software company Circuit.

This is what anyone doing “Welcome to the team” posts should aim for in their first attempts.

We like how they kept it simple while covering all the bases: A nice animated pic of the employee, plus their name, role, projects they’ll be involved in, and of course, tagging them for extra reach.

Above is an example of how to amplify “Welcome to the team” posts.

If you take a look, you’ll notice that the original post drew a lot less attention than the repost by the employee.

To achieve this, the company made sure to tag the employee in the welcome message; then, of course, the employee did their part by resharing with a few words as well.

And since LinkedIn rewards content from people with more visibility, engagement grew significantly.

Now it’s time for an example from Instagram, in which the design arm of a Chicago advertising firm seems to apply one of the golden rules of design (e.g. less is more) to their employee introduction post.

And it works flawlessly, combining great visuals with design elements that everyone relates to a design office.

To conclude with examples, we’d like to share one from Renewable Parts, a company that provides parts and components to the wind industry.

In this “Welcome to the team” post, they follow a newly hired marketing manager for a whole week, diving into her role, but also into life at the company head-first.

Conclusion

A simple “Welcome to the team” post might seem routine, but when done thoughtfully, it can reinforce your company’s culture and enhance your brand’s image.

It’s these little moments that show that you care.

And remember, you don’t have to stick to the script. Be flexible!

If “Welcome to the team” feels too formal or predictable, go for something like “Meet X” or put a creative spin on the introduction to attain the authenticity that drives people to your content.

One more thing: don’t forget to offer a helping hand.

Some new hires might want to share the news themselves. If that’s the case, help them draft their “Today I’m starting a new position as…” post.

It’s a great way to encourage amplification and give them a sense of ownership in the announcement.