Make Their First Day Feel Like a Warm Hug
Create personalized welcome stories where your entire team shares advice, inside jokes, and what makes your company special — delivered with confetti on their first day.
Picture This: Day One Magic
It's 9 AM on Sarah's first day. She opens her laptop, clicks the welcome link you sent, and suddenly 23 colleagues appear on screen sharing their favorite coffee spots, the secret to surviving Monday meetings, and genuine excitement about working with her. She tears up a little (good tears) because she already feels like she belongs. That's the power of an Ownstory welcome.
More Ways to Welcome New Team Members
Explore our collection of welcome and onboarding templates designed for every situation.
Everything You Need to Create the Perfect Welcome
Share One Link, Everyone Contributes
Send your team a simple link. No accounts, no app downloads — just click and share their welcome message, tips, or photos.
WhatsApp Contributions Too
Remote team members can text their welcome messages directly via WhatsApp — perfect for quick voice notes or photos.
Reveal Mode for First Day Surprise
Hide all messages until their first day, then watch their face light up when they click 'Reveal' and see confetti with everyone's welcomes.
Guided Prompts End Blank Page Anxiety
200+ thoughtful prompts like 'Best advice for new team members' and 'What makes our culture special' help everyone contribute meaningfully.
Rich Multi-Format Content
Text, photos, videos, voice messages, GIFs, and even Spotify songs. Create a multimedia welcome experience that's uniquely yours.
Story Rules You Control
Set character limits, allow anonymous contributions, or limit to one message per person. Your welcome, your rules.
Even Your Busiest Team Members Can Contribute
No time for lengthy onboarding prep? Team members can send welcome messages via WhatsApp in seconds.
Ownstory
online
Hey! 👋 Someone special is collecting messages for a story. Want to add yours? Just type it here!
10:30This is such a lovely idea! Here's my message — I hope it makes them smile 😊❤️
10:31Your message has been added! 🎉 Want to add a photo or voice note too?
10:31📷 Yes! Let me send a photo
10:32special-moment.jpg
Photo added! The story now has 12 messages ❤️
10:32From Idea to 'I Belong Here' in Minutes
Create a welcome story, invite your team, watch the magic unfold on their first day. It's that simple.
Choose Onboarding Template
Pick from welcome themes and add your company logo and new hire's photo
Set Their Start Date
Add reveal date for their first day, choose content types, and set company colors
Invite Your Team
Share the link with colleagues — everyone contributes without downloading anything
Team Shares Welcome Advice
Coworkers add encouraging messages, tips, photos, and welcome videos
Surprise on Day One
Present during onboarding — confetti bursts as all team messages are revealed!
Choose Onboarding Template
Pick from welcome themes and add your company logo and new hire's photo
Set Their Start Date
Add reveal date for their first day, choose content types, and set company colors
Invite Your Team
Share the link with colleagues — everyone contributes without downloading anything
Team Shares Welcome Advice
Coworkers add encouraging messages, tips, photos, and welcome videos
Surprise on Day One
Present during onboarding — confetti bursts as all team messages are revealed!
See How Your Welcome Story Comes to Life
Beautiful, branded pages that become permanent digital keepsakes your new hire can revisit whenever they need a reminder of how welcomed they are.
A Story for You ✨
28 messages from friends & family
Sarah
Friend · 2 days agoYou mean the world to me. Here's to many more memories together! ❤️
Tom
Family · 1 week agoAn audio hug for your day.
Lisa
Friend · 1 week agoOur favorite snapshots together. Every frame feels like a time capsule!
Alex
Colleague · 3 days agoThis is you every birthday morning 😂🎂
Happy Dance GIF
Mia
Friend · 5 days agoThis song is literally you. Happy birthday legend! 🎵
Happy - Pharrell Williams
Because I'm happy, clap along...
Onboarding That Actually Works
200+
guided prompts for meaningful contributions
30 sec
for team members to add their welcome
0
accounts needed to contribute
Perfect for Every New Hire Scenario
- Remote team members who need extra connection
- Junior hires who could use seasoned advice
- Leadership transitions and executive welcomes
- Intern programs and summer cohorts
- Department transfers and internal moves
- International hires learning company culture
- Returning employees after leave
- Acquisition integrations and team mergers
Why Teams Choose Ownstory for Onboarding
Unlike generic HR tools or public social posts, your welcome stories are private, permanent, and built for genuine connection.
Private & Permanent
This isn't social media. No public feeds, no algorithms, no strangers. Your story stays private — only people you invite can see it. And it lasts forever, not just 24 hours.
Not like Instagram stories that vanish, or Facebook posts anyone can see.
Group Gift Built In
Pool money from the group, and let the birthday person pick the gift card they actually want. No more guessing, no more duplicate gifts. Delivered straight to their mobile wallet.
$5, $10, $50 — every bit counts
Amazon, Uber Eats, Apple, Spotify & more
Apple Wallet or Google Wallet — tap to use
Messages + gift card together in one beautiful story. No separate apps needed.
“I've been at this company 3 years and never felt as welcomed as our new hire did on her first day. She got 31 messages with everything from parking tips to genuine excitement about working with her. She said it was the best onboarding experience she'd ever had.”
Attach Your New Hire Onboarding Story to a QR Code
Print your QR code and attach it to physical items around the workplace to create memorable touchpoints that welcome new team members.
Your custom QR code
Scan to open the story — works on any phone
Laptop Welcome Sticker
Place the QR code on their new laptop or computer monitor so they can scan it during their first day setup and instantly access team welcome messages.
Welcome Kit Box
Attach the QR code to their employee welcome package or gift box, turning company swag into a gateway to personal stories from colleagues.
Desk Name Plate
Include the QR code on their desk nameplate or workspace setup so they can scan it whenever they need encouragement during their first weeks.
Coffee Mug Gift
Stick the QR code under their personalized company mug so every coffee break becomes a chance to revisit warm welcome stories from the team.
Employee Handbook
Place the QR code inside their employee handbook or orientation folder, making the formal paperwork feel more personal with heartfelt team messages.
Customise your QR code — choose colours, add your logo, and download in print-ready formats. Attach it to anything and turn a physical gift into a digital experience.
Everything You Need to Know
Ready to Transform Your Onboarding?
Create a welcome story that makes every new hire feel like they've found their work family from day one.