Event: Enabling psychological safety with Karen Gately

Quinn Allan's network of Melbourne-based Senior Finance Leaders recently came together over breakfast for an insightful session with leadership and human performance expert Karen Gately of Corporate Dojo.

The focus of the session was psychological safety and its growing importance in today’s workplace from both a wellbeing and legal perspective. With organisations facing increasing expectations around employee wellbeing, the discussion highlighted why creating safe, supportive environments is no longer optional, but essential.

With her energetic and engaging style, Karen shared a range of practical examples of psychosocial risks that can impact both individuals and organisations. She explored common workplace challenges such as high workloads, unclear expectations, poor communication, and ineffective leadership behaviours, all of which can contribute to stress, disengagement, and reduced performance if left unaddressed.

A key theme throughout the session was the importance of emotional intelligence in leadership. Karen emphasised the role of self-awareness, empathy, and communication in building trust and fostering high-performing teams. In particular, she highlighted the need for leaders to strike the right balance between accountability and empathy, setting clear expectations while also supporting their people to succeed. The session also reinforced the critical role of communication, particularly during times of change or uncertainty. Transparent, honest conversations were identified as a key driver of trust, engagement, and resilience within teams.

It was a fantastic and thought-provoking session, giving attendees practical insights into how they can make meaningful, positive change within their own organisations to better support their teams and drive performance.

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Why smart finance leaders are staffing up, not pushing through this EOFY

By Accounting & Finance Recruitment • May 20, 2026

For accounting and finance teams, the end of financial year is simply part of the job. Unfortunately, that doesn’t make it any less relentless. Reporting deadlines, year-end journals, audit preparation, reconciliations, budget planning for the year ahead, all lands at once, on top of the day-to-day work that doesn’t stop just because the calendar is demanding. Although most finance teams get through it, there is often an unexpected hidden cost that shows up months later. Finance professionals rarely resign in the thick of the EOFY rush because they’re too busy, and there’s a certain solidarity in surviving a high-pressure period alongside colleagues. However, when the dust settles in July, something shifts. People come up for air, reflect on the past few months, and start making decisions.