Do you love to receive personalized mail? I know I do! Especially handwritten ones that are written specifically for me. Not only are they personal, but they also imply someone spent some time thinking about me and what I do for them.
Offer letters are much like this.
They are a personalized note to a new employee welcoming them to your company and notifying them of some of the agreements you have made. The offer letter itself and the way it is delivered can also set a lasting impression on the new employee.
So, what needs to be included in the offer letter? Below are some key elements to make sure you include in the body of the letter.
WELCOME
Start with a warm welcome to your company. Personalize WHY you are excited for the new employee to be starting and have it tie to the organizational mission.
THE BASICS
This will include a start date, as well as the position the employee is being hired for. You’ll want to refer to the job description and make sure you include a copy of this with the offer letter. At this point, the employee should already have a good understanding of the job expectations because this would have been discussed during the interview.
PAYMENT
The new employee will need to be paid. Outline if this is a full or part-time position, what the pay will be (hourly or salaried) and define the pay period.
BENEFITS
Will benefits be offered? Summarize benefits, vacation, paid time off, sick time, etc. Refer to the employee handbook for any updates that happen after the initial hire.
CONDITIONS OF OFFER
Outline any conditions of the offer of employment, including background checks, drug screening, reference checks, etc.
AT WILL
Depending on the rules of your state, clarify that the employment is considered “At Will.”
You’ll wrap this all up with your signature on the letter, as well as a spot for the new employee to sign the offer letter and have them return it by a certain date. Why not personalize it some more by adding a handwritten note on the bottom?
In Conclusion
The elements outlined above not only create a one to one relationship with your new employee, but they also protect you in many employment law situations. If you are looking for more insight on offer letters, you can view our short complimentary training on this topic HERE.
Congratulations on hiring staff to scale your business and create an environment for every employee to tHRive!
