Case study: stationery sets to support new staff at HML

Starting a new job is always a little bit daunting – but what if there was a way to delight new employees and reduce some of their fears on their first day? This was exactly what Richard Scott, HR director of leading property management company HML, was aiming to do when he asked us to create branded stationery sets to greet new staff members at their desk, providing them with everything they need to know about HML’s company culture on their first day.

The HML stationery sets contained a branded notebook, pen and Z-cards all within a branded gift box.

 

A look at the stationery sets, from the A’s to the Z cards.

For Richard, stationery sets were the natural choice as an onboarding aid, as he felt that a notebook would not only function as a gift with a purpose, but could also be tailored specifically to include anything of his choice – that being any crucial information for new starters in the workplace. Whilst HML have gradually moved towards a fully digital HR experience for staff, Richard felt that it was still important to engage with newcomers on a physical level, and stationery sets were a cost-effective and functional way to do this.

 

Debossed Leuchtturm notebooks in purple, anthracite and emerald with a branded deck ballpoint pen as part of the stationery sets.

The purple, anthracite and emerald Leuchtturm notebooks aligned with the HML company colours.

A branded Leuchtturm1917 notebook and deck ballpoint pen made up the main components of the set. These products were chosen as they were available in shades of purple, emerald, anthracite, silver and grey, which coincided with the HML corporate colours. The HML logo was debossed onto the front cover of the notebook to create a tactile finish, whilst the streamline “Local, Personal, Tailored” was foil printed on the rear in white. Every notebook also had a digitally printed bellyband with a welcome note and a page insert with a QR code leading onboarding staff to a welcome page with information about the workplace intranet.

 

White foil print of HML slogan "Local, Personal, Tailored" on the back of a purple Leuchtturm notebook as part of the stationery sets.

On the rear of the notebook, the HML slogan was printed in a white foil.

Alongside the notebook and pen, inside the branded, recycled gift box recipients would find A6 size Z-cards as part of the stationery sets. Produced separately for team leaders and members, they were designed to support a newly reformed appraisal strategy as part of the #betternormal campaign, which focused on making HR procedures efficient in a post-covid-19 world. With the title “Let’s Talk” printed on the front, the cards were created to act as a support for monthly one-to-one conversations between managers and employees. Featuring a guide and conversational prompts, it was important that these Z-cards found their way on new employees’ desks at the very beginning of their employment in order to set the right tone for discussions between managers and employees.

Z cards as part of the stationery sets containing conversational prompts to assist with staff appraisals.

The stationery sets also included Z-cards to assist with the process of staff appraisals.

 

The proof is in the pudding…or in this case, the branded stationery for HML

We love hearing from our clients, and with a couple of new starters in tow, Richard reports that the feedback on these stationery sets has only been positive, showing that stationery can help to effectively integrate new members of staff by making them feel included, valued, and ready to get started.

HML are committed to valuing their employees, and what better way to show this to newcomers than with a gift that is both useful and informative. With this level of commitment to staff onboarding and effective leadership, it’s no wonder that HML ranks up as one of the UK’s best places to work.

Looking for branded stationery sets to assist with staff onboarding? Call us on +44 (0)1303 720700 to speak to one of our knowledgeable and friendly team members today.