TL;DR — The gap between accepting an offer and starting the job is where new hires quietly reconsider, especially if nothing arrives from the new employer in the meantime. A short sequence of video touchpoints — not a single welcome video — keeps that gap from feeling silent.
- Silence between offer acceptance and day one reads as indifference, even when it isn't.
- Spread pre-boarding video across two or three small touchpoints rather than one big send.
- Practical content (what day one actually looks like) works as well as warmth does.
- Keep each clip under a minute — this is a gap-filler, not the main onboarding event.
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Why the gap between offer and start date matters
A new hire who has accepted an offer has usually also resigned from somewhere else, told people they are leaving, and started picturing the new job. Weeks of hearing nothing back from the new employer during that period does not cause most people to change their mind, but it does nothing to build the sense of momentum that a good start benefits from. A short video or two in that window costs little and changes how the first day feels before it has even happened.
Three touchpoints, not one
Rather than saving everything for a single pre-boarding video, spread it across the gap so the new hire hears from the company more than once:
- Shortly after the offer is accepted: a short message from the hiring manager confirming the start date and saying, specifically, what they're looking forward to the new hire working on.
- Roughly halfway through the gap: a practical clip covering what to expect on day one — where to go, what time, what to bring, who will meet them.
- A few days before the start date: the full welcome video from the team — see Welcome Video for New Employees for how to put that together.
Practical content works as well as warmth
Not every pre-boarding video needs to be about enthusiasm. A short, clear clip answering logistics questions — parking, dress code, who to ask for at reception, what the first hour will involve — removes a real source of first-day anxiety and gives the hiring manager an easy, low-pressure reason to be on camera early in the gap.
Keeping it short
A pre-boarding clip is a gap-filler, not the centrepiece. Thirty to forty-five seconds per touchpoint is enough; the goal is a reminder that someone is thinking about the new hire's arrival, not a full orientation video delivered early.
How to do this in Whoosh
Set up a short campaign for the hiring manager's first message as soon as the offer is signed, and a second one closer to the start date for the practical "what to expect" clip. Both are recorded from a phone in a couple of minutes and sent as a link — no need to produce anything polished for a message this short.
Start freeFrequently asked questions
How soon after the offer is accepted should the first video go out?
Within a day or two, while the decision still feels recent — a longer delay defeats the purpose.
Who should send the practical "what to expect" video?
Whoever actually knows the logistics — often HR or an office manager rather than the hiring manager, which also spreads the touchpoints across different people.
Is this worth doing for a short gap of only a few days?
A single short message is still worth sending even for a short gap; it costs little and avoids total silence between acceptance and start.