Wisconsin businesses face an unprecedented challenge: the labor force is shrinking while demand grows. In this episode of IT Unplugged, Brandon sits down with Laura Strickland, Partner Success Manager at Carex Consulting Group, to uncover the shocking reality behind Northeast Wisconsin's labor market. (Check out September's LMI Report: https://www.carexconsulting.com/resources/labor-market-insights-september-2025/

What You'll Learn:

Why Wisconsin job openings dropped from 268,000 to 137,000 (and what this really means)
The 6 million worker shortage coming by 2032 - traced back to 1970s birth rates
How to build vs buy vs rent talent in today's competitive IT market
Essential upskilling strategies that boost retention and cut hiring costs
Why IT unemployment sits at 2.9% while national average exceeds 4%
The truth about software development job postings vs AI/cybersecurity demand

Key Topics Covered:

Labor market index insights and what a 60.9 score means for businesses
Northeast Wisconsin's innovation boom and talent retention strategies
Building local talent through CSAs, technical colleges, and apprenticeships
Hiring adaptable employees over perfect skill matches
ROI of employee upskilling vs external hiring costs
Transparent hiring practices that improve candidate-company matching

Laura breaks down Carex's labor market insights report, revealing why traditional hiring approaches no longer work in today's talent-scarce environment. Learn practical strategies for workforce planning, from identifying upskilling needs to creating competitive advantages through employee development.
Whether you're struggling to fill IT positions, planning workforce strategy, or wondering how AI fits into the labor shortage equation, this episode provides data-driven insights and actionable solutions for Wisconsin business owners.
Special focus on IT professionals: Discover why certain tech roles are abundant while others face scarcity, and how smart companies are adapting their hiring criteria to find hidden talent in unexpected places.
Subscribe for weekly insights on business technology, workforce strategy, and the future of work in Northeast Wisconsin.

Are remote IT workers really more productive, or is it just hype? In this episode of IT Unplugged, Brandon and Ben dive deep into the remote work debate that's dividing the tech industry.

What You'll Learn:

Why 18% of IT jobs are fully remote (and why that number might surprise you)
Real cybersecurity risks of remote work - 75% of IT professionals say companies are MORE vulnerable
Generational differences: How Gen Z approaches remote work vs Millennials
The truth about productivity - can you really focus while watching kids?
Essential security tools every remote IT worker needs (VPN requirements, avoiding public WiFi threats)

Key Topics Covered:

Remote work productivity myths vs reality
Managing different employee types in distributed teams
Cybersecurity challenges with remote IT teams
Generational workplace attitudes and authority issues
Building effective remote IT culture
Public WiFi security risks and Pineapple attacks

Whether you're an IT manager considering remote policies, a cybersecurity professional worried about distributed teams, or just curious about the future of tech work, this episode breaks down the complex reality of remote IT work beyond the hype.
From basement home offices to coffee shop security nightmares, we cover what really works (and what doesn't) when your IT team goes remote. Plus, candid insights on hiring self-motivated employees and the challenges of managing across generations.
Security Focus: Learn why remote work makes companies 75% more vulnerable to cyberattacks and the essential tools to protect your business.
Subscribe for weekly IT insights that cut through the noise and give you actionable business technology advice.

Manufacturing insurance Wisconsin | Risk management consultant | USI Insurance Services | Business insurance broker advocacy

Is your insurance broker truly advocating for you? In this episode of IT Unplugged, we sit down with Stephanie Lee, Senior Risk Management Consultant at USI Insurance Services, to discuss how manufacturers can tell if their insurance partner is working in their best interest.

Stephanie shares her unique journey from 13 years in logistics and supply chain consulting to becoming a trusted insurance advisor for Wisconsin manufacturers. Her insider knowledge of manufacturing operations gives her a distinct advantage in identifying risks that other brokers might miss.

Key Topics Covered: • How to evaluate if your insurance broker is truly advocating for your business • Why manufacturing risks are different from other industries • The interconnected nature of supply chain vulnerabilities • Using data analytics to make informed risk management decisions • Breaking away from relationship-based insurance decisions • ROI analysis for insurance investments and loss prevention • Supply chain risk assessment for manufacturers • Property and casualty insurance challenges for difficult risks • Business interruption coverage and downtime costs

What You'll Learn: Stephanie explains how USI leverages proprietary data from thousands of clients to benchmark your coverage against industry peers. Instead of relying solely on relationships, modern insurance consulting should provide hard facts and analytics to support recommendations.

Learn why "insurance finds you" rather than the other way around, and how Stephanie's background in warehouse assessments, automation, and system integrations now helps her protect the very assets she once helped companies invest in.

Perfect for manufacturing business owners, risk managers, and anyone evaluating their current insurance partnerships. Discover how data-driven insurance consulting differs from traditional relationship-based approaches.

About the Guests: Stephanie Lee brings unique expertise combining supply chain operations knowledge with insurance risk management. Her experience spans logistics consulting, business solutions, and now comprehensive risk assessment for Wisconsin manufacturers.

Connect with M2 Technology for comprehensive IT solutions supporting your manufacturing operations.

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