Workforce Strategy During Tariffs: 5 Steps to Lead in 2025

Tariffs Reshape More Than Trade, They Reshape Teams

With the IMF lowering its 2025 U.S. growth forecast from 2.7% to 1.8%, many businesses are bracing for the economic aftershocks of intensifying tariff policy. But these shifts won’t just affect supply chains; they’ll also disrupt hiring, workforce planning, and talent retention strategies across key industries.

Tariffs are more than a trade lever—they’re a signal flare for economic adjustment. For employers, that means proactively adapting your workforce strategy in response to tariffs is no longer optional. Whether it’s managing costs, responding to employee concerns, or staying competitive in hiring, your ability to respond with clarity will define your advantage in 2025.

At Aura, our AI models specialize in generating invaluable workforce insights for companies in finance, consulting, and a range of enterprise sectors. We took a look at hiring trends past, present, and future, to gather our most valuable takeaways for how to lead your workforce strategy in 2025. 

Want real-time insights into hiring patterns and workforce shifts across your industry? Book a demo with Aura and get ahead with data that predicts—not just reports—workforce trends.

1. Realign Talent with Supply Chain Shifts

When the U.S. imposes tariffs on foreign goods, companies often reassess their sourcing and production to avoid additional costs. This shift may lead to:

• Onshoring or nearshoring of manufacturing

• Greater demand for logistics, operations, and compliance professionals

• Increased hiring in domestic production hubs

According to Aura data, a number of top enterprises are already adjusting their workforce composition to align with new supply chain realities. But it’s not one-size-fits-all.

Some companies may choose to absorb the tariff costs or pass them on to consumers, which can dampen profits and slow down expansion, potentially leading to hiring freezes or workforce reductions. Others take a more strategic stance: reconfiguring operations and reallocating talent to mitigate long-term risk.

Take Roche, for example. The Swiss pharmaceutical giant is investing $50 billion in U.S. manufacturing, partly to hedge against tariff-related risks. The workforce outcome? Over 12,000 new domestic jobs across logistics, compliance, and technical roles. This isn’t just capital expenditure, but rather a large-scale talent realignment.

As a leader, you’ll need to critically evaluate your team’s strengths, supply chain exposure, and talent alignment to ensure your organization stays competitive, regardless of where the next tariffs fall.

2. Budget Smarter When Costs Rise

Tariffs often lead to higher costs for raw materials and parts, especially in manufacturing, construction, and the production of consumer goods. When margins are squeezed:

• HR budgets shrink

• Wage growth slows

• Hiring becomes more selective

This creates a “do more with less” culture, placing pressure on HR leaders to reduce costs, invest in automation, and stretch team capabilities. This can be a challenge, but also an opportunity to encourage employees to upskill and take advantage of new tools, such as generative AI. In this climate, businesses may also rely more on contractors, temporary workers, and outsourced teams, allowing them to scale up or down quickly as trade dynamics evolve.

3. Retain Talent with Culture and Sentiment Insights

Aura’s trackers on employee sentiment are a strong indicator of a company’s overall workforce efficiency. Our customers have found time and time again that current-day sentiment scores are a powerful predictor of future organizational success.

Happy employees are more productive, and fostering a safe environment during uncertain economic times can be a huge challenge for leaders. A few guiding principles:

• Honest, transparent communication 

• Job security and fairness

• Investing in growth and purpose

• Strong culture and sense of belonging

Regular updates and honest conversations build trust, while flexible policies and genuine care for employee well-being help ease stress. Investing in employee growth through training and recognizing their contributions, even with non-monetary rewards, boosts morale. Maintaining team culture and connection, even in small ways, also plays a key role in keeping spirits high during tough times.

4. Benchmark Your Workforce Like a Strategist

Tariff-related job trends will hit some sectors harder than others. Businesses should tailor workforce plans by sector exposure, not just general trends. This is where industry benchmarking capabilities, like those you’ll find in Aura’s dashboard, come in handy to deliver insights on the following metrics:

• Headcount growth and distribution

• Talent flow (both for hiring and after exiting)

• Seniority and experience

• Geographic distribution of talent

5. Stay Ahead as Workers React

Employees and job seekers are increasingly aware of macroeconomic signals, such as tariffs, and will take action to protect themselves. A few key actions employees may take to anticipate:

• Push for higher wages to offset rising living costs

• Seek job stability in less tariff-sensitive industries

• Explore reskilling if their sector becomes more vulnerable

Smart companies will get ahead of this by offering transparent communication,  internal mobility programs, and cross-training to keep their talent engaged, even in uncertain times. It’s also worth keeping an eye on which competitors are slipping in this regard, so you can potentially poach their best talent or gain another competitive edge.

Tariffs Will Continue to Shift: Is Your Workforce Strategy Ready?

The most successful companies won’t just react to tariffs. They’ll use them as catalysts to reimagine their operations, sharpen their hiring processes, and strengthen their teams.

With Aura’s workforce intelligence, you can see beyond the noise: spot patterns, benchmark against competitors, and make confident talent decisions.

Tariffs may be unpredictable, but your workforce strategy doesn’t have to be. Aura gives you the competitive advantage to see what’s coming before it hits your hiring plans.

Book a demo today and turn economic uncertainty into a talent edge.