CEO welcome video for new employees: what to say

A CEO welcome video is often a new employee's first direct encounter with the person running the company.

Unfortunately, many sound as if nobody involved has ever met a new employee.

"Welcome to our dynamic organisation. Our people are our greatest asset. We are delighted that you have chosen to embark on this journey with us."

The sentiment is fine. The problem is that almost any CEO at almost any company could say it.

A useful CEO welcome video gives a new hire something they could not have learnt from the homepage.

What should a CEO say?#

A simple structure works well.

1. Welcome them as a person#

Start normally.

"I'm [name]. I started the company in [year], and I wanted to say welcome."

No corporate preamble is needed.

2. Explain why the company exists#

Don't read the mission statement. Tell the short version of the story behind it.

What happened that made somebody think this company needed to exist? What was the first version like? What problem made the founders care?

3. Tell one story that shows the culture#

Company values are abstract until somebody demonstrates what they mean.

If "take ownership" matters, tell a story about someone taking ownership. If "customers first" matters, describe a moment when the company made a difficult decision because of a customer.

4. Say what new employees often misunderstand#

This is valuable because only an insider can say it.

Perhaps the company looks formal from outside but is informal inside. Perhaps people are expected to challenge senior leaders. Perhaps the business is more complex than it first appears.

Give the newcomer a shortcut.

5. Tell them what not to worry about#

Starting a new job brings uncertainty. A CEO can remove some of it.

"You don't need to understand everything in your first month."

"You're expected to ask basic questions."

"Nobody here knows every part of the business."

Those lines can do more for culture than another explanation of the values.

6. End with a real invitation#

If the company is small enough, make it literal: "If you see me, please come and say hello."

If it is larger: "Ask your manager to show you X" or "One thing I'd love you to do in your first month is..."

What to avoid#

• Reading the website. The new hire can already read it.
• Covering everything. This is a welcome, not an orientation.
• Too much production. Looking professional is fine. Looking like an advert creates distance.
• AI-generated warmth. If the point is for the leader to welcome a person, replacing the leader with an avatar undermines it.
• Making the CEO the whole welcome. Leadership provides context. The new hire's actual colleagues provide belonging.

The stronger model: CEO plus team#

A CEO video works best as one layer.

The CEO tells the larger story: why the company exists, where it came from and what matters.

Then the immediate team tells the smaller stories: who people are, how they work and why they are glad this particular person is arriving. There is a simple format for that in employee introduction videos.

That combination makes onboarding both scalable and personal.

Putting the layers together#

People Stories collects the team layer. Colleagues each record a short hello from one link, and the CEO can record once and be added to every new starter's welcome video.