Short answer: Meru Gifting built a repeatable onboarding kit programme for a Bangalore fintech that grew from 50 to 500 employees, standardising on a ₹1,100 company gifts for employees kit reordered every month instead of one large annual batch. This is an anonymised, illustrative composite of orders we typically fulfil.
Updated September 2026.
What was the brief for this onboarding kit programme?
The brief came from an HR team at a fast-growing fintech that was hiring 20–40 people a month and had outgrown its habit of ordering welcome kits ad hoc from whichever vendor had stock. They needed one consistent kit design that would still feel current a year later, a MOQ-friendly reorder process since batches ranged from 15 to 60 people a month, and a ₹1,000–₹1,500 per-person budget that HR could defend on a per-hire basis rather than a single annual invoice.
What did Meru Gifting deliver as the onboarding kit?
We standardised on a four-piece kit: a branded PU diary for notes in the first weeks, a steel bottle for the desk, a compact tech accessory, and a card with the company's onboarding checklist printed on the back. Every kit carried the same branding and colourway regardless of batch size, so a new hire's kit in month three looked identical to one from month eleven. Because branded MOQ is 50 pieces, the client ran kits on a rolling monthly PO rather than restocking every time a new hire started, which kept per-piece pricing stable.
PU Diary with Arrow Buckle Clasp₹385 · MOQ 50 branded
Stainless Steel Bottle with Gift Box 1000 ml₹850 · MOQ 50 branded
Bamboo Wireless Charger with Cable Organiser₹750 · MOQ 50 branded
Folding Adjustable Mobile Stand₹200 · MOQ 50 branded
PU Diary with Gold Trim and Magnetic Clasp₹450 · MOQ 50 branded
Collapsible Silicone Bottle with Steel Lid 550 ml₹395 · MOQ 50 branded
How does an onboarding kit programme scale from 50 to 500 employees?
It scales by treating the kit as a standing process, not a one-off order. Once the design and branding were locked with a free mock-up in month one, every later batch reused the same specification, so production time per batch dropped from the initial 10 working days to closer to 7 once the vendor relationship and artwork files were established.
- Lock kit composition and branding with a free mock-up before the first batch.
- Set a monthly PO cadence tied to the hiring calendar instead of one-off orders.
- Reorder in MOQ-50 branded batches as headcount grows.
- Review the kit composition once a year, not every batch, to keep costs predictable.
- Keep GST invoices and PO numbers filed by month for finance reconciliation.
What did the onboarding kit programme cost as the company scaled?
Per-kit cost held steady near ₹1,100 including GST across the entire scale-up, because the composition didn't change — only the batch size did. That sits in our standard ₹500–₹1,500 per-person band. A 50-person starting batch and a 500-person cumulative programme both priced out at the same per-head rate, which is the main reason a fixed kit design over a "new kit every time" approach.
Does GST apply to onboarding kits given to new employees?
Yes. Gifts up to ₹5,000 per employee per financial year are exempt as a perquisite under Income-tax Rule 3(7)(iv), so a ₹1,100 onboarding kit sits comfortably within that limit even if the employee receives a festive gift later the same year. GST input tax credit on gifted goods is blocked under Section 17(5)(h) of the CGST Act, though Meru Gifting issues GST invoices for every batch so finance can reconcile spend. Confirm treatment with your CA for your specific structure.
What is the minimum order quantity for onboarding kits?
Branded items carry an MOQ of 50 pieces. For a fintech hiring in smaller monthly batches, that means either running a 50-piece batch every one to two months, or holding a small buffer stock of pre-branded kits to issue as people join between reorders — the approach this client used once monthly hiring dropped below 50.
| Stage | Typical batch size | Kit cadence |
|---|---|---|
| Early stage (50–100 employees) | 50 pieces | One-off batch, buffer stock held |
| Growth stage (100–300 employees) | 50–100 pieces | Monthly PO against hiring plan |
| Scale stage (300–500+ employees) | 100+ pieces | Quarterly bulk PO, same design |
Onboarding kit checklist for a growing company
What was the outcome of standardising the onboarding kit?
By the time headcount reached 500, HR had stopped treating onboarding gifting as a recurring vendor search and instead ran it as a standing monthly PO with predictable cost and a two-week lead time buffer. New hires across ten-fold growth received an identical kit, which HR found useful for consistency in exit interviews and employer-branding photos alike. This is the typical outcome on a well-specified, repeat-order kit programme: lower per-batch admin, stable pricing, and a kit that still looks current after a year. Details in this case study are anonymised; figures are representative of similar orders we fulfil.
Which onboarding kit suits your team?
What is a good budget for company gifts for employees at onboarding?
Most companies land between ₹500 and ₹1,500 per kit; this case study's programme ran at roughly ₹1,100 per person including GST.
Can onboarding kits be reordered in small monthly batches?
Yes, though branded items carry an MOQ of 50 pieces per batch. Companies hiring fewer than 50 a month often hold a small buffer stock between reorders.
How long does an onboarding kit order take to produce?
First batches with a new design typically take 7–15 working days; repeat batches on an established design are usually faster once artwork is finalised.
Can the onboarding kit design change over time?
Yes, but most clients review the design once a year rather than per batch, to keep pricing and lead times predictable.
Scaling your onboarding kit programme?
Tell us your hiring cadence and budget and we'll suggest a repeatable kit design.
