Deel, a global workforce platform that helps companies hire, manage, and pay people anywhere, operates as a remote-first company. If you’re a new hire for Deel, you won’t have any lobby to walk into or a desk waiting with your name tag on it. What you, a Deel new hire, will get instead shows up via courier: a kraft box filled with swag items and a card that uses the word ‘baguette’.
For a company built around global work, that's more than a nice onboarding touch. The new hire swag kit is doing what an office normally would: making a new hire feel like they've joined a company, even when there's no physical workplace to welcome them into.
That said, in this blog, we’ll be talking about what's inside Deel's new hire swag kit, what works about it, and what you can take from it for your own onboarding program.
What's inside the Deel new hire swag kit?
A Deel new hire kit pairs a black graphic tee with desk-sized extras: a ceramic mug, a branded phone grip, a die-cut logo sticker, and a printed card with a bingo game on the back. Everything sits in blue crinkle paper inside a plain kraft box. Contents shift by team and year, so treat any single unboxing as a reference point.
Deel keeps its swag off any public catalog, though, so what we know comes from photos new hires share once they receive their kit. Here's what a recent Deel new hire swag kit had:
A black tee with a Deel Speed print
On Deel’s shirt, across the front is a chrome, lightning-bolt treatment of the words “Deel Speed,” giving it more of a graphic tee feel than standard onboarding swag.
Speed is a big part of how Deel talks about its product and culture, too, so the shirt gives that idea a place outside the company.
A ceramic mug with a work-from-wherever sign
The mug is white ceramic with navy line art and an illustration of a roadside motel sign that reads 24/7, OPEN, and WORK FROM WHEREVER.
It fits Deel's business especially well, since the company helps businesses hire and pay people across countries, and the mug turns that idea into something a new hire sees every time they sit down to work.
A branded phone grip
A navy PopSocket-style grip with the Deel wordmark. It's a small item, but it gets used constantly. A phone grip is attached to something a new hire already carries every day, which gives the branding plenty of time outside the onboarding experience.
A die-cut logo sticker
The sticker is the Deel wordmark cut to its own shape on white vinyl, including the period in the logo. It's easy to use on a laptop, notebook, water bottle, or anywhere else a new hire wants to put it.
A welcome card that opens with a joke
The card is probably the most personal part of the kit. It opens with “Things that don't rhyme with Deel:” followed by payroll, compliance, legal, contracts, full-time employment, and baguette. It then welcomes the new hire, jokes that baguette is still in beta, points them to a bingo game printed on the back, and asks them to share a photo in the t-shirt with #DeelSpeed.
The card does a lot in a small space: it welcomes the new hire, gives them a feel for Deel's sense of humor, adds something they can actually do, and encourages them to share the experience. That's a lot more useful than a generic welcome note.
What Deel’s New Hire Kit Gets Right
There are a few things Deel gets right in this kit that are worth carrying over to your own onboarding swag program.
The note does the heavy lifting - Deel kept the actual swag fairly simple and put more thought into the card. A funny, specific note makes a mug and sticker feel like part of a welcome instead of just items in a box.
Everything is desk-sized or wearable - The tee, mug, phone grip, and sticker all fit naturally into a remote employee's day. They can wear the shirt, use the mug at their desk, or put the sticker and phone grip on things they already own.
The humor ties back to Deel - The joke on the card isn't random. It brings in payroll, compliance, legal, contracts, and full-time employment, which are all connected to what Deel does. A new hire gets a quick sense of what Deel does while also getting a feel for how the company talks.
The kit asks for something back - The card asks new hires to post a photo in their shirt with #DeelSpeed. That gives Deel a steady source of employee-generated content while giving new hires an easy way to share their first-day experience. For a company hiring across countries, that kind of content can also help show what working at Deel looks like.
The whole thing works without an office - Every item fits into a relatively small box and can make the trip through a courier without much trouble. That's important for a remote company.
Why does new hire swag matter more when there's no office?
Remote hires miss a lot of the small things that make starting a new job feel welcoming: the team that greets them in person, an HR person or manager walking them to their desk. But an onboarding kit can fill some of that gap because it gives them something from the company before they even start.
Deel's careers page describes a work-from-anywhere company with no office requirement, with roles across 80+ countries. Its 2026 Global Hiring Report draws on contracts across 150+ countries. When your new hires are spread across that many locations, the onboarding experience has to work remotely, too! That’s why it’s important for remote teams like Deel to have a swag kit that welcomes their employees wherever they are in the world.
Beyond Deel’s own numbers, sources like Gallup also found that only 12% of employees strongly agree their organization does a great job of onboarding, while 29% say they feel fully prepared after it.
While a new hire swag kit won’t necessarily fix a bad onboarding process, it can make the first few days feel more intentional, giving your new hires a physical connection to a team they haven’t or won’t meet in person.
Other Onboarding Kits Worth Studying
Deel's approach works, but it's not the only way to build a good new employee welcome kit! There are many tech companies like Slack, Dropbox, and Netflix that all take a different approach, and each one is useful for a different reason.
Slack
The Slack new hire swag kit sticks closely to the brand's color palette, with apparel and desk items that feel like they belong together. The result is a kit that feels consistent from one item to the next.
Dropbox
The Dropbox onboarding kit focuses on a smaller number of high-quality items. It's a good reference if your budget only covers three or four swag items and you want each one to feel intentional.
Netflix
The Netflix new hire kit includes a branded blanket, which makes more sense once you think about the product. It's a good example of using the company's actual identity to decide what goes into the kit, rather than putting a logo on whatever standard swag happens to be available.
Those three are useful references, but there are also a few PerkUp programs worth looking at if you're thinking about how to build and ship new hire swag across different countries.
Wise
Wise gives new hires in London and Hong Kong the same swag items, keeping the onboarding experience consistent across both regions. It's a good example of how one kit can work across different markets without creating a separate program for each location.
GrowthZone
GrowthZone built its kit around a YETI and a custom mailer box, making the packaging part of the experience too. The box gives the kit a more finished feel before the recipient even gets to the swag inside.
Traka
Traka kept its onboarding kit simple with an all-black look, built around an OGIO backpack and everyday essentials. Using the same color across the kit makes the items feel like they were chosen together.
What should you put in your own new hire swag kit?
Deel's swag kit covers five useful categories: something to wear, something for the desk, something small they’ll use every day, something to put on a laptop, and something printed. Those give you a simple starting point for building your own new hire swag kit, without having to fill the box with items just for the sake of it.
Below are new hire swag ideas for each category, with three options per slot so you can build around your budget.
Branded apparel
A hoodie, tee, or polo gives new hires something they can actually wear after their first week. Since apparel is usually the most visible piece in the kit, it's worth spending a little more on something comfortable and easy to wear.
Some apparel swag items you can include in your new hire swag kit:
Jerzees Adult NuBlend Quarter-Zip Cadet Collar Sweatshirt ($18.69) - The Jerzees Adult NuBlend Quarter-Zip Cadet Collar Sweatshirt is a cleaner alternative to the standard crewneck, with a quarter-zip that makes layering easy. A good pick when you want onboarding apparel to feel a little more polished.
Gildan Adult Ultra Cotton T-Shirt ($4.99) - A heavyweight cotton tee that keeps things simple. Its classic fit and durable construction make it an easy everyday option for larger teams.
Port Authority Unisex Silk Touch Polo ($13.69) - A polished option for teams that want something more work-ready than a tee. The smooth fabric, broad size, and color range make it easy to use across a larger group.
Drinkware
Drinkware is one of the safest onboarding picks because people use it at work, at home, and on the go. The main decision is how much you want to spend.
Some drinkware swag items you can include in your new hire swag kit:
Sorbo Sip Stainless Steel Water Bottle | 24 oz ($18.99) - This bottle has both a straw and a standard drinking opening. Double-wall insulation keeps drinks cold for up to 24 hours, and the leak-proof design makes it easy to throw into a bag.
YETI Rambler 40 Oz Travel Straw Mug with Color-Matched Straw Lid ($54.98) - A YETI drinkware can be your anchor item for your kit, as it’s premium. The 40-ounce capacity, insulated build, handle, and leak-resistant straw lid make it useful well beyond the first week, too.
TYESO ROAM Tumbler 2.0 | 20 oz ($12.99) - A lower-cost tumbler that still covers the basics: double-wall insulation, a 2-in-1 lid, and a comfortable handle. Easy to fit into an onboarding kit without taking over the budget.
Bags
A bag gives the rest of the kit somewhere to go, especially for hybrid and remote teams. Go with a full backpack for everyday work gear, or a smaller option when you want something that complements the main swag instead of carrying it all.
Some bag swag items you can include in your new hire swag kit:
High Sierra Haidan Laptop Backpack ($35.98) - Built around a 15-inch laptop sleeve, tablet sleeve, and multiple accessory pockets. Padded straps and a back panel keep it comfortable enough for regular commutes.
Samsonite Foldaway Tote ($34.98) - A simple zippered tote with enough room for everyday extras, plus a front pocket for smaller items. It folds into its own pouch when it's not needed.
MiiR Olympus 2.0 1L Recycled rPET Tech Organizer - AWARE ($19.98) - This organizer is a compact option for chargers, cables, and other small tech. Dual-zip access, mesh pockets, and an integrated cord pass-through keep everything easy to find.
Tech accessories
Tech swag works particularly well for remote hires because there's no office setup to rely on. Keep it practical so they can use it for a long time.
Some tech swag items you can include in your new hire swag kit:
5-In-1 Charging Cable with Coating ($8.98) - One cable covering USB-A, USB-C, Apple-compatible, and micro USB connections. A useful addition for a kit going to employees with different devices.
Span 1200 mAh Power Bank ($5.98) - This compact power bank has a built-in key ring, so it's easy to carry. It charges phones and other small devices when an outlet isn't nearby.
UV Desktop Phone Sanitizer ($8.32) - A small desktop device that uses UV-C light to sanitize phones and other objects that fit inside. The automatic shut-off when the lid opens adds an extra safety feature.
Office supplies
A good pen, notebook, or mouse pad can also make the box feel more complete without adding much to the cost.
Some office swag items you can include in your new hire swag kit:
Kaco Pure Gel Pen ($1.44) - The Kaco Pure Gel Pen is a 0.5mm gel pen with a soft-touch matte finish and color-matched ink. A small upgrade from the standard giveaway pen.
Signature A7 Notebook ($3.79) - A compact notebook for quick notes that fits easily into a pocket, badge holder, or small bag. It's also fully customizable for more brand control.
Hard Surface Mouse Pad ($5.13) - This one is especially useful for home setups. It’s a durable desk staple with a scratch-resistant surface and full-surface printing.
Add-ons
The small extras are what make a box feel finished. They don't need to carry the kit, but a sticker, keychain, or stress reliever gives the recipient something fun alongside the more practical items.
Some add-on items you can include in your new hire swag kit:
Lightweight Round Stress Reliever ($1.29) - A simple squeeze toy for the desk or home. An easy, low-cost way to add something playful to the box.
Die Cut Vinyl Sticker | 5” x 5” ($1.05) - Custom-shaped sticker for laptops, bottles, or notebooks. The die-cut edge makes it feel more intentional than a standard square.
Custom Acrylic Keychain | 1.5" x 1.5" ($2.38) - Full-color acrylic keychain with a stainless steel ring. A small way to turn a logo or brand mark into something your new hires can carry.
The Takeaway From Deel's Onboarding Swag Kit
The lesson from Deel's box is pretty simple: the kit doesn't need to be packed with expensive swag to make an impression. The tee, mug, sticker, phone grip, and card all work because they feel connected to the company and useful to the person receiving them.
That's the part worth copying. Start with what you want a new hire to feel when they open the kit, then choose the swag items, the copy for the insert card, and the packaging. Keep the box easy to ship and make sure the items actually fit the way your team works, too.
Ready to create your own new hire swag kit with PerkUp?
So, let’s say you’ve built the new hire kit in your head already. There’s a tee, a mug, stickers, and an insert card. The problem is that the four people joining your remote team are in Lisbon, Bangalore, Toronto, and Austin. That's where a global new hire swag kit gets complicated. The swag has to stay the same, but the people receiving it are in four different places. The easiest way to address this is through a reliable swag management platform like PerkUp.
PerkUp handles the production and fulfillment from one platform. Swag kits are produced in bulk, assembled, and warehoused across the US, Canada, Mexico, the UK, Europe, India, China, and Australia. When a new hire starts, their kit is shipped from the warehouse closest to them, with customs and duties covered across 65+ countries.
In addition to this, the timing needs to be planned before the first hire starts, too. A bulk run takes roughly three weeks to produce, another week to kit, and about a week for approval. Give yourself around five weeks from approval to the first shipment, then the kits are ready in inventory for every hire after that.
With PerkUp, you can also connect the platform to the tools you already use, so you don’t have to send swag kits manually every time someone new joins. A start date in BambooHR, Rippling, Deel, or any of 200+ integrations can trigger the right send. Turing, for example, uses PerkUp for a global new hire kit serving employees in the US and India.
If you're building a custom kit, PerkUp's in-house design team can also handle the artwork and proofs. That keeps the tee, mug, card, and packaging looking like a cohesive extension of your brand.
And the kit doesn't have to be the only thing you run through PerkUp! In the same platform, you can also get On Demand swag with a 1-unit minimum, bulk swag, swag stores, event swag, and 5, 000+ gift cards. Your onboarding program can live alongside the rest of your swag without adding another vendor to manage.
Frequently Asked Questions About New Hire Swag Kits
Can you get custom packaging for a new hire swag kit?
Yes! Custom mailer boxes, inner tags, among others, can all be used to build out an employee onboarding kit. That's how you get closer to the full unboxing experience Deel creates with its kraft box and blue crinkle paper. Keep in mind that custom packaging needs its own proofing and production time, so add it to the timeline alongside the swag itself.
Can you build branded employee onboarding kits that ship internationally?
Absolutely! PerkUp produces employee onboarding kits in bulk, stores them in regional warehouses, and ships each one when a new hire's start date comes up. That means a kit going to Bangalore can ship from the India warehouse rather than traveling halfway around the world.
How do customs and duties work for international onboarding kits?
PerkUp’s regional fulfillment takes most of the customs work out of the process. PerkUp has warehouses in the US, Canada, Mexico, the UK, Europe, India, China, and Australia, and ships with duties prepaid wherever possible. If an unexpected customs fee does come up, PerkUp reimburses it, so your new hire doesn’t have to pay anything.
How long does it take to produce a custom onboarding kit?
With PerkUp, you need to plan for around five weeks from approval to the first shipment for a bulk kit: roughly three weeks for production, one week for kitting, and one week for approval. Embroidery, custom packaging, and other decoration choices can add time, so work backward from the first start date that needs a kit.
Can new hire swag be automated?
Of course! Connect PerkUp to your HRIS, including BambooHR, Rippling, Workday, or ADP, and the employee's start date can trigger the shipment of their kit automatically. You can also set different rules by country, department, or role, so the right kit goes to the right person.
