Onboarding & Culture
The First-Day Welcome That Says "You Belong Here"
Updated March 2026 · 6 min read
It's Alex's first day. They log into Slack, heart racing. New company. New team. New everything. The first thing they see is a pinned message from their manager: "Welcome, Alex! Before your first standup, check this out." Below it, a link.
They click through to a wall of faces. Fifteen avatars — each one a stylized, personalized Minifigure of a team member. Beside each avatar is a name, a role, and a personal message:
"I sit three desks from you. Ping me anytime — I remember how overwhelming week one is." — Jordan, Senior Engineer
"The coffee machine on the 3rd floor is secretly better. Don't tell anyone." — Priya, Designer
"Ask me about the ping-pong tournament. It gets surprisingly intense." — Marcus, PM
"We've been waiting for someone with your background. Excited to build with you." — Sarah, VP Engineering
Alex scrolls through every face, every message. Before the first meeting even starts, they already know fifteen names, fifteen faces, and fifteen reasons this team might be special. That's not onboarding. That's belonging.
New Hire Welcome
Welcome, Alex!
March 31, 2026
Jordan — Sr. Engineer
“I sit three desks from you. Ping me anytime — I remember how overwhelming week one is.”
MILESTONEPriya — Designer
“The coffee machine on the 3rd floor is secretly better. Don't tell anyone.”
Marcus — PM
“Ask me about the ping-pong tournament. It gets surprisingly intense.”
Sarah — VP Eng
“We've been waiting for someone with your background. Excited to build with you.”
Dev — Backend Lead
“Pro tip: the Friday demos are the best part of the week. Don't skip them.”
Kim — QA
“Welcome to the team! We break things fast and fix them faster.”
Why the First Day Matters More Than You Think
Research consistently shows that a new hire's first-day experience is the strongest predictor of their long-term engagement. The first impression isn't the office (especially for remote teams) — it's the feeling of being expected, wanted, and already part of something.
Most onboarding focuses on the functional: laptop setup, HR paperwork, calendar invites. The emotional part — "these people are glad you're here" — is left to chance. A welcome wall changes that. It front-loads the emotional connection before the operational stuff begins.
And here's the subtle part: when the new hire creates their own avatar to join the team set, they're doing something that every other team member has already done. It's a tiny shared experience — the same style, the same process, the same reveal animation. It says: you're one of us now.
Alex starts Monday. Before then, scan this, create your avatar, and leave a welcome message. 🎉
Welcome, Alex! — Team Wall
minifigureai.com/party/TEAM4K9R
Scan or click to create your avatar and leave a message.
Welcome, Alex!
Alex's Avatar
How to Set Up a New Hire Welcome Wall
- 1
Create the event a week before their start date
Name it "Welcome, [Name]!" Pick the team's avatar theme (Minifigure is the most universal). Enable guest name capture so the new hire can see who wrote each message. Set a custom message prompt like: "What should [name] know about working here?"
- 2
Share the URL with the existing team
Post the party URL in the team's Slack channel: "[Name] starts on Monday. Before then, scan this link, create your avatar, and leave a welcome message." Give people 3–5 business days. Send one reminder the day before the start date.
- 3
Share the wall on day one
Pin the Social Wall link in the new hire's DM or the team channel before they arrive. For in-person: display it on a screen at their desk. For remote: share it as the first message they see. Let them scroll through every face and message at their own pace.
- 4
Help the new hire create their avatar
This is the important step. Help them generate their own avatar in the same style as the team. Now they're on the wall too. Share it in Slack: "Say hello to [name]'s Minifigure!" The team reacts. The new hire feels seen. The avatar becomes their Slack profile picture — instant visual belonging.
Welcome Message Prompts That Work
The prompt shapes the quality of every message. Here are the ones that produce the most genuine, useful, and warm welcome messages:
"What should [name] know about working here?"
Practical + personal. Surfaces real culture insights.
"One piece of advice for your first week"
Actionable. New hires save these and reference them.
"What's your favorite thing about this team?"
Positive framing. Shows the new hire what they're joining.
"Describe this team in 3 words"
Quick and fun. Creates a word cloud effect on the wall.
"What would you tell yourself on your first day?"
Empathetic. Acknowledges that day one is overwhelming.
Beyond Day One: Other Onboarding Moments
Onboarding Cohorts
Hiring five people in the same month? Create one event for the entire cohort: "March 2026 New Hires." Both existing team members and new hires generate avatars. The Social Wall becomes a "who's who" — new hires see the faces of the people they'll work with, and existing team members put faces to the new names. During the cohort's first all-hands, display the wall as a visual introduction.
Remote Team Introduction
For fully remote teams, the welcome wall is the closest thing to walking into an office and seeing friendly faces. Every team member's avatar and message is there when the new hire opens their laptop for the first time. It replaces the "go around the room and introduce yourself" Zoom call that everyone endures and nobody remembers. Instead, the new hire reads each message at their own pace, revisiting the wall whenever they need to remember a name.
Internal Transfer Welcome
Switching teams within the same company is its own kind of first day. The old team can set up a farewell wall (see our farewell guide), while the new team sets up a welcome wall. The person transitions with a goodbye from one team and a hello from another — bookended moments that honor both chapters.
Executive & Leadership Hire
A new VP or director joining the organization. Set up the event across the entire department, not just the immediate team. When sixty people leave a welcome message and avatar, the new leader immediately understands the scale and warmth of the organization they're joining. It's a first impression that sets the tone for their entire tenure.
Reviewing Alex's onboarding PR
Sprint planning
First day!
Matching 6-person team avatar set
The team avatar set in Slack — Alex's avatar joins the wall on day one
March 2026 cohort — 5 new hires with matching-style Minifigure avatars from day one
Alex
Minifigure
Jamie
Minifigure
Suki
Minifigure
Carlos
Minifigure
Noor
Minifigure
Building the Matching Team Avatar Set
The welcome wall naturally creates something valuable: a cohesive set of team avatars in a matching style. Here's how to turn that into a lasting team asset:
Slack profile pictures
After the welcome wall is complete, encourage everyone to use their avatar as their Slack profile picture. When every channel has matching Minifigure faces, it creates a visual team identity that new hires notice immediately.
Team directory / wiki
Replace generic headshots in your internal wiki or team directory with avatars. It's more fun, more personal, and nobody has to schedule a photo shoot.
Office poster or digital display
Print the avatar grid and hang it in the office, break room, or near the entrance. Update it every time someone new joins. It becomes a living roster — visitors ask about it and candidates notice it during interviews.
Onboarding deck
Include the team avatar grid in the onboarding presentation. New hires see every face before they meet everyone in person. It reduces the "who is that again?" anxiety of week one.
What It Costs
A welcome wall for a 15-person team costs $9.99 (30-credit pack). For larger teams or departments, the 75-credit pack at $19.99 covers everyone with room to spare. Compare that to welcome swag bags ($30–$50 per person) or a catered welcome lunch ($500+).
Credits never expire. Unused credits from the welcome event carry forward — use them for the next new hire, a team offsite, or a holiday party. See all pricing →
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I use MiniFigureAI to welcome a new employee?
Create an event named for the new hire, share the URL with the team, and have everyone generate an avatar and welcome message. Share the Social Wall link on day one. Then help the new hire create their own avatar to join the team set.
What message prompt works best?
"What should [name] know about working here?" or "One piece of advice for your first week." These draw out practical, personal messages that new hires actually find useful.
Can this work for batches of new hires?
Yes. Create one event for the cohort. Both existing team members and new hires generate avatars. The Social Wall becomes a visual "who's who" for the entire group.
Make Day One Mean Something
Try it free — create your first avatar and see what your new hire will experience.
No credit card required for first avatar · Credits never expire