Letter of Appointment – Know the Basics to Craft a Perfect Letter

Hiring a new employee in the company is always an exciting moment for both the employee and the employer. You can retain this excitement through seamless onboarding and excellent experiences.

You may need to create an appointment letter if you are hiring a new employee. Are you interested in knowing what an appointment letter is? Continue reading it further.

When a person is selected for a post in the company, he/she is informed about the selection using an appointment letter. The HR department is officially responsible for this type of activity.

This blog deeply focuses on the appointment letter format, its functions, its importance, and more. Once you have selected a candidate for a position, you need to notify them by sending a letter of appointment.

What is an Appointment Letter?

An appointment letter is an HR letter sent to a candidate who has been selected and accepted the offer. It is a legal document that is issued by the company that has chosen the candidate. This letter confirms that the person has been appointed for the position. The letter of appointment is also known as an employment contract.

Human Resources will extend the offer letter to the candidate who has been through the selection process and has been found suitable for the job responsibilities. The offer letter includes information such as key responsibility areas, base salary, bonus, etc.

The employer will then send an appointment letter when a candidate accepts a job offer. It verifies the employer’s request, and the candidate’s acceptance of that offer, and it binds the employer’s last interaction with the employee in law.

This is the first correspondence a candidate has from the company. The candidate then has the option of accepting or rejecting the offer. After that, the employee and HR/employer can discuss pay. The candidate receives the employment contract once it has been finalized.

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When should the employee get the letter of appointment?

The founder, team lead, HR Manager, or department manager can write an appointment letter. It is issued once the screening process is completed and the candidate has been finalized. This letter is formal documentation of a job offer and the receiver’s acceptance of the job offer.

Once the position is offered, the company will provide this letter to the successful position. It is printed on the official letterhead of the company. It is common for the employer to sign and keep one copy of the letter while the employee has another signed copy. The candidate usually receives the letter on the day of joining.

Significance of Appointment Letter

The letter of appointment is important because:

• It is a very important document for the company and the employee.
• It may be used as legal proof in court to resolve any disputes that may emerge in the future.
• All the details about the position and the company’s expectations are briefed here. This letter is a legally binding contract and contains all the important terms and conditions of employment.
• Both parties sign the letter and receive a copy of the same. This letter has important information about the position including title, salary, benefits, and more so that the reader has access to it whenever required.

Offer letter and an appointment letter – How do they differ?

What should you include in an Appointment Letter?

• Name of the employee, job title, joining date or the appointment date, employee’s details such as an address, posting locality, expected working hours, and the employee’s transfer.
• Facilities, benefits, wage specifics, and the organization’s duties must be addressed.
• This letter also contains the new hire’s duties and the tasks that he/she must complete as directed by the higher authorities.
• An appointment letter also contains the promotion rules and the conditions of termination, also the leave policy, or any other probationary or notice period that may be fulfilled later.

Tone and Language Used

• The appointment letter should contain a welcome and a congratulatory tone.
• Because this letter is for an official purpose, professional uniformity must be maintained and a small lovely welcome greet.
• Before you present this letter to the employee, each and every organization’s regulations and boundaries should be discussed thoroughly.

Essentials for Employee and Employer

• This letter should be signed by the HR manager or the head of the organization. As a final permission, his/her name and signature must be included in this letter.
• By the deadline set by the authorities for the submission of the appointment letter, the employee must sign the agreement as a final confirmation.
• Each of the two parties who approved the appointment letter should keep a copy of it.
• A government identification document serving as verification of the employee’s identity and citizenship in the country should be enclosed with the employee’s letter to the employer.

Do’s and Don’ts

Now, below are a few do’s and don’ts of writing an appointment letter:

• Be as crisp and clear as possible. Don’t leave any necessary information just to keep the candidate guessing. Give as many details as possible, and leave anything for the candidate to guess.
• Make sure that the tone of the letter is exciting and happy. While creating the letter remember that this time is very exciting for a new hire.
• Keep the letter brief and genuine. Don’t go on and on about your opinions on how you think they will excel in their job. Here, a short and sweet  appointment letter format is the way to go.
• Grammar and language errors are a total NO. There’s nothing worse than an error or a typo to show the candidate that you don’t care.
• Don’t use language that makes the letter sound like a contract. Although an employment contract is a contract, don’t make it too formal. Doing this will only scare the new hire and make them think that you are way too particular about unnecessary things. Therefore, make it sound formal.
• Finally, don’t forget to add your contact details (email id and phone number) at the end of the appointment letter. This will help the candidate get in touch with you whenever required.

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Conclusion

When a candidate wants to talk about pay or other terms of employment, the appointment letter is the main source to refer to. You can detail the nature of the position you’re offering, outline the responsibilities involved, and promote the benefits of the organization in a job offer letter. The appointment letter can be used for communication and orientation prior to the candidate even starting work for the organization, assuming the applicant accepts the position.

If you’re looking for an appointment letter format or a readymade appointment letter template, UBS HR Toolkit is the first point of contact. UBS HRMS Software offers you a comprehensive toolkit having almost all the HR documents like HR letters, HR forms, emails, job descriptions, and more. Get in touch to know more.