Bringing new employees on board should be smooth and exciting—but lately, it’s getting more complicated. Beyond the usual IT onboarding pitfalls (think: delayed access, manual setups, scattered processes), there could be a new curveball hitting startups hard: rising hardware costs driven by increased import tariffs.
If your team’s already stretched thin managing new hire setup, here’s why the latest tariff changes might be the wake-up call to rethink your onboarding strategy.
The Real Cost of Delayed Devices
With the U.S. implementing sweeping tariff increases—up to 125% on certain imports—many startups can expect to see sudden jumps in the cost of essential IT equipment like laptops, monitors, and networking gear. That means more budget spent per employee, and in many cases, slower procurement timelines.
And if your onboarding process relies on last-minute laptop orders or single-source suppliers? You might be in for serious delays.
Why This Matters for Onboarding
Higher costs and longer lead times don’t just create budget headaches—they can lead to:
🔻 Delayed Start Dates: If new hires don’t have the tools they need, they can’t get started.
🔻 Manual Workarounds: HR and office managers are scrambling to find backup devices or share logins—introducing major security risks.
🔻 Inconsistent Experiences: Some employees start strong, while others are left in limbo.
In short: the cracks in your IT onboarding process just got a lot wider.
Tariffs Are Out of Your Control—But Your Process Isn’t
The good news? Startups don’t have to absorb these growing pains. With a structured and automated IT onboarding process, you can mitigate the impact of external disruptions like tariffs and keep your new hires on track.
✅ Procure smarter: Plan ahead and standardize your IT stack so you’re not scrambling when prices spike. Make sure to have inventory on hand for Day 1. This can help ensure you’re always ready for new hires—and also serves as a backup in case of emergencies, like a coffee spill on a laptop.
✅ Automate access provisioning: Ensure every new hire gets the right tools on time, every time—without the manual back-and-forth.
✅ Secure your systems: Limit access creep and make sure only the right people have the right permissions.
Want to Future-Proof Your Onboarding Process?
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