New Employee SWAG

I hired a staff accountant and this will be my first employee. At previous companies I would get some kind of gift/swag bag to welcome me to the company and I would like to do this too.

What do you do for new hires?

I'm also looking for ideas such as taking out to lunch on the first day or anything else.

At prior firms, I would always get taken out to lunch the first day, and think that's a nice gesture.

However now, during COVID times, I'm not so sure I would do that?

Maybe order delivery and have lunch together in the break room? Less glamorous, but you have to think about your liability exposure as the employer.

I think it's been a really long time since I was an employee and times have changed a lot. I don't recall ever getting anything from an employer because I was the new kid on the block. Nice thought and nice welcoming idea, but it never would have occurred to me to do so.

All I ever got was lunch, but not all of the time.

I recall mostly lunch and dinner from the various bosses I had over the years. With COVID-19 restrictions you will need to figure out if going out is possible or if you should get a gift card to a place that offers takeout for the employee to enjoy with his/her family.

I don't recall ever getting anything from an employer because I was the new kid on the block. Nice thought and nice welcoming idea, but it never would have occurred to me to do so.

The last company I worked for before starting my firm was fortune 500. I got a plant in a nice vase, a teddy bear (it was a children's clothing company), and a couple other little things I can't remember. Before that was a regional CPA firm and I got a polo shirt, umbrella, and again some things I can't remember. Both times I was taken out to lunch. The CPA firm before that I got nothing.

Most examples I have found online are from very large tech companies who give out very expensive welcome gifts. The lunch thing isn't too bad an idea where I am. We have indoor and outdoor dining but I think it might be a personal issue if the new employee is scared/nervous to go out. I wonder if it would also be weird being a male boss taking a female employee out to lunch.

When you say "My Firm" and "My firm Specializes in Individual and Corporate>>>>"
It's just you right...no firm..no one else.. think clients see that..and cringe?
When you have many working for you ..then its "My firm"

When you say "My Firm" and "My firm Specializes in Individual and Corporate>>>>"
It's just you right...no firm..no one else.. think clients see that..and cringe?
When you have many working for you ..then its "My firm"

This is off topic and petty to attack how I wrote my About Me section on this site. I am happy to have a separate conversation about the definition of "firm" and whether my clients care but this thread is not for that.

I don't recall ever getting anything from an employer because I was the new kid on the block. Nice thought and nice welcoming idea, but it never would have occurred to me to do so.

BFS...this quote you're attributing to me is actually from action.

This is off topic and petty to attack how I wrote my About Me section on this site. I am happy to have a separate conversation about the definition of "firm" and whether my clients care but this thread is not for that.

+1. In my state, a sole-proprietor, sole practitioner is required to register with the state board as a *firm* and pay the annual *firm* licensure fee, just like a *firm* of 100 people. If I'm going to be taxed the same and held to the same standard, I can and will call myself a firm. Everyone is welcome to their own opinion of course, that's the beauty of America.

Guys you are missing the point of the original posting! I really don't care if a sole prop calls their business a firm.

Here is the definition from Webster
firm noun

Definition of firm (Entry 4 of 4)
1 : the name or title under which a company transacts business
2 : a partnership of two or more persons that is not recognized as a legal person distinct from the members composing it
3 : a business unit or enterprise

So guys let's not pick this with a fine comb! BTW here is a true story. When I was a young new hire at a "firm" another young lady was hired that week and guess who got more lunches from the boss??

Congrats BFStax! Hiring a first employee is a huge step in your firm and I wish you the best of luck!

I never got anything for my first day at any company I worked for unless there was a uniform required. Obviously a nice lunch would be good, a plant for the office, things like that would have worked in the before-COVID times.

Right now, if I were to hire on an employee, I would try to get their shirt size so that I had some polo shirts made and if I had clients with retail-type operations I'd try to buy something from their business. So, if I had a winery as a client, I'd offer a bottle that I bought from the client, etc.

Congrats BFStax! Hiring a first employee is a huge step in your firm and I wish you the best of luck!

Thanks! Much appreciated. I am going to allow the employee to work remotely some of the time although specifics are not set in stone. Probably more office time at the beginning so a small plant is a nice touch. I also like buying something from a client to give.

I will probably offer lunch and if she doesn't feel comfortable I'll bring it into the office.