Startups in Munich operate in a fast-paced, competitive environment, where attracting and retaining top talent is critical to success. Yet, one of the most overlooked aspects of early employee experiences is IT onboarding. Many startups, especially those without on-premise infrastructure, struggle with ensuring that new hires have their laptops, peripherals, and software access ready on Day 1.

This seemingly small issue can have massive repercussions. Studies show that a poor onboarding experience increases the risk of early attrition, negatively impacts productivity, and creates frustration for both new hires and hiring managers. According to StrongDM, an overwhelming 36% of employees leave a job within the first six months, often due to preventable onboarding issues.

For startups in incubators like UnternehmerTUM, Start2 Group, and the Strascheg Center for Entrepreneurship, ensuring a seamless IT onboarding process is essential. NextGen IT Advisors provides Co-Managed IT solutions that help startups streamline and optimize IT onboarding, working closely with Talent Acquisition and People Operations to create a structured, repeatable process that minimizes IT friction.

Why IT Onboarding Matters for Startups

When a new hire joins a startup, they are eager to make an impact. But if they arrive on their first day only to find that:

  • Their laptop hasn’t arrived
  • They lack access to essential software and tools
  • They spend hours waiting for IT support

…it sends a terrible message. The company appears disorganized, and the new employee may begin questioning their decision to join.

For startups where agility and speed are key, IT delays also hinder productivity. In high-growth environments, even a one-week delay in onboarding can mean the loss of momentum, missed business opportunities, and delayed project timelines. Worse, IT issues contribute to early attrition risk—top talent may leave for a competitor that offers a more structured and welcoming experience.

How NextGen IT Advisors Solves the IT Onboarding Challenge

NextGen IT Advisors specializes in Co-Managed IT, an approach that allows startups to leverage enterprise-level IT services without the overhead of an internal IT department. For Munich-based startups, this means having an experienced IT partner that works directly with Talent Acquisition, HR, and hiring managers to ensure that:

✅ Devices and accessories are ordered in advance
✅ All application accounts are pre-configured
✅ Network and security policies are enforced
✅ The first week is smooth, efficient, and engaging

By implementing a structured IT onboarding process, startups can ensure new employees hit the ground running from Day 1.

1. Co-Managed IT as a Strategic Partner for Talent Acquisition

In many startups, Talent Acquisition and HR teams are responsible for hiring, but they often lack IT expertise. This results in last-minute scrambling to secure laptops, set up accounts, and troubleshoot IT issues—adding unnecessary stress to the hiring process.

NextGen IT Advisors bridges this gap by acting as an extension of the People Operations team. By aligning IT with hiring timelines, we ensure that IT onboarding is seamlessly integrated into the recruitment process.

How we do it:

  • Advanced IT Coordination: As soon as a hire is confirmed, we work with HR to ensure IT provisioning is initiated immediately.
  • Standardized Equipment Packages: We establish predefined laptop and accessory configurations, ensuring consistency and reducing procurement delays.
  • Direct Communication with Hiring Managers: We gather role-specific IT requirements so that employees have exactly what they need.

By integrating IT into the hiring process, startups can eliminate last-minute issues and ensure a frictionless onboarding experience.

2. Planning Ahead: The Key to Avoiding Last-Minute IT Issues

One of the biggest IT onboarding pitfalls is last-minute notice. When IT is informed of a new hire just days before their start date, there is little time to procure, configure, and test equipment. This is especially problematic for remote and hybrid teams, where shipping delays can further complicate matters.

NextGen IT Advisors establishes a structured IT runway, ensuring adequate time for ordering and configuring IT assets.

Best practices include:
📅 A 3-4 week IT runway before a new hire starts
🖥 Pre-configured laptops stored for quick deployment
🔑 Automated account creation linked to HR systems

With proper lead time, we ensure that new employees receive fully provisioned devices, security credentials, and access to collaboration tools the moment they start.

3. Ensuring Proper Application Access from Day 1

Beyond hardware, access to business-critical applications is one of the biggest pain points for new employees. Not having access to essential tools on Day 1 leads to frustration, lost productivity, and a poor first impression.

NextGen IT Advisors works with hiring managers and team leads to pre-configure software access based on role and department.

How We Ensure Seamless Access:

✔ Automated Role-Based Access Controls (RBAC) – Ensuring that employees automatically receive access to the tools they need based on their role.
✔ Single Sign-On (SSO) Implementation – Reducing login complexity and enhancing security.
✔ Secure Cloud Environment – Startups without on-premise servers need cloud-based IT solutions that scale with growth.

With proper IT governance, startups avoid last-minute access issues, reducing IT tickets and improving employee satisfaction.

4. Making the First Week a Success: The Impact of Strong IT Onboarding

According to StrongDM’s onboarding research, employees who experience smooth IT onboarding are:
💡 70% more likely to stay for 3+ years
💡 50% more productive in their first month
💡 Twice as engaged as those with a poor onboarding experience

NextGen IT Advisors ensures that startups provide a structured, tech-enabled onboarding experience by:

📌 Providing an IT Orientation Session – Walking new hires through their tools, best practices, and security guidelines.
📌 Preloading Documentation & Training Resources – So employees can quickly familiarize themselves with company systems.
📌 Dedicated IT Support for the First Week – A direct line for troubleshooting, reducing frustration.

This proactive approach ensures that employees feel empowered, supported, and excited to contribute from Day 1.

Why Munich Startups Need a Strong IT Onboarding Process

For startups in Munich’s incubators—UnternehmerTUM, Start2 Group, and the Strascheg Center for Entrepreneurship—a robust IT onboarding strategy is essential for scaling efficiently.

Startups that work with NextGen IT Advisors benefit from:
🔹 Improved Employee Retention – Less frustration, lower attrition.
🔹 Stronger Employer Brand – A seamless onboarding experience helps attract top talent.
🔹 Higher Productivity – New hires can contribute immediately.
🔹 Reduced IT Burden – People Operations and hiring managers can focus on talent, not tech issues.

Conclusion: Transform IT Onboarding with NextGen IT Advisors

In today’s fast-moving startup ecosystem, first impressions matter. A disorganized IT onboarding process can lead to unnecessary delays, frustration, and even early attrition. NextGen IT Advisors helps Munich-based startups create a streamlined, predictable onboarding experience that sets employees up for success from Day 1.

By partnering with Talent Acquisition, ensuring early IT provisioning, and leveraging cloud-first Co-Managed IT solutions, startups can remove IT friction, enhance employee experience, and scale with confidence.

💻 Ready to optimize IT onboarding for your startup? Let’s talk! Contact NextGen IT Advisors today to ensure your new hires experience a smooth, productive start.