Show Notes
Salary still matters. However, it is no longer enough to attract and retain accounting and finance professionals. In this episode, explore how the Australian employment market is changing and what workers want from their careers today. The 2026/27 Hays Salary Guide answers questions you've been asking about career progression, flexibility, skills development and AI. For employers, the challenge now is building a proposition that goes beyond just pay. In the Hays Salary Guide for financial year 2026/27, you'll hear expert insights on: How salary is no longer the only factor when people change jobs How AI adoption is changing the way businesses hire and grow The key skills in demand and what can help you stand out Why career progression is becoming almost as important as salary Why flexibility has shifted from a differentiator to an expectation Where are the accounting and finance skills shortages Why technical accounting expertise still matters How accountants can move closer to commercial decision-making What recently qualified, mid-career and senior professionals can do to stay competitive Why employers need to combine remuneration with progression, flexibility and wellbeing Tune in now. Host: Adrienne Biscontin, external affairs adviser, CPA Australia Guest: John Summers, Hays business director for accountancy and finance You can read the Salary Guide Australia FY26/27 at the Hays website. Loving this episode? Listen to more INTHEBLACK episodes and other CPA Australia podcasts on YouTube. Head to our podcast page CPA Australia - YouTube And, of course, click subscribe to the channel today. We deliver regular content that will help boost your career skills and capabilities. Additionally, INTHEBLACK online has stories on everyday ethics issues. CPA Australia publishes four podcasts, providing commentary and thought leadership across business, finance and accounting https://www.cpaaustralia.com.au/tools-and-resources/podcasts INTHEBLACK https://www.cpaaustralia.com.au/tools-and-resources/podcasts/intheblack INTHEBLACK Out Loud https://www.cpaaustralia.com.au/tools-and-resources/podcasts/intheblack-outloud Excel Tips Excel Tips | CPA Australia With Interest https://www.cpaaustralia.com.au/tools-and-resources/podcasts/with-interest Search for them in your podcast platform. Email the podcast team at [email protected] Chapters: 00:00 Intro 00:21 Hays Salary Guide 2026: Key labour market trends in Australia 01:15 Why career progression rivals salary for employee retention 03:27 Hybrid work expectations and talent attraction strategies 05:03 Career development plans that improve employee retention 06:05 AI adoption in accounting and finance: Training gap revealed 07:39 Accounting and finance skills shortages in Australia 2026 09:07 CPA qualification, technical accounting skills and salary growth 10:05 Employer of choice strategy: Salary, flexibility, AI and benefits 11:38 How AI and automation are changing accounting careers 12:43 Career advice for accountants: Commercial skills and decision-making 13:44 Early-career and mid-career accounting growth opportunities 15:14 CFOs, finance leaders and leading AI-driven change 15:45 Salary pressure, cost of living and retention risks in 2026 16:26 Key takeaways for employers and accounting professionals 17:03 Accessing the Hays Salary Guide 2026 and final thoughts
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Change is the one constant in today's work landscape. This episode sparks fresh ideas on leading people through change without losing their trust or buy-in. Expert guest Richard Gerver – who has worked with Google and Deloitte and will speak on Leading Humans Through Continuous Change at CPA Congress 2026 – looks at why restructures so often fail on the human side, not the technical one. He explains why: Asking questions beats presenting answers Change works better when people have ownership of it Organisations need to move from "managing change" to becoming comfortable with continuous change Leaders should unlock the ideas and potential already inside their organisation Psychological safety and leader vulnerability are essential to innovation Resilience isn't about asking people to cope with more, it's something leaders help build If you're leading a team through a restructure, a system migration or AI adoption, this conversation reframes resilience as something you build deliberately, not something people simply have or don't. Give it a listen this week. Host Tahn Sharpe, INTHEBLACK Editor, CPA Australia Guest: Richard Gerver, award-winning change and leadership speaker with a background in education, innovation and human potential For more information on Richard Gerver, head online to his international speakers bureau page. Richard will speak at CPA Congress 2026. Loving this episode? Listen to more INTHEBLACK episodes and other CPA Australia podcasts on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/@CPAaustralia/podcasts And don't forget to click subscribe to the channel for a wide range of content that will help your career. CPA Australia publishes four podcasts, providing commentary and thought leadership across business, finance and accounting: With Interest https://www.cpaaustralia.com.au/tools-and-resources/podcasts/with-interest INTHEBLACK https://www.cpaaustralia.com.au/tools-and-resources/podcasts/intheblack INTHEBLACK Out Loud https://www.cpaaustralia.com.au/tools-and-resources/podcasts/intheblack-outloud Excel Tips https://www.cpaaustralia.com.au/tools-and-resources/podcasts/excel-tips Search for them in your podcast platform. Email the podcast team at [email protected] Chapters: 00:00 Richard Gerver on leadership vulnerability and empowering teams 00:29 Introduction to Richard Gerver, change leadership expert and educator 01:27 How Richard Gerver transformed a failing school through empowerment 04:54 Employee empowerment vs top-down change management 06:15 Why continuous change is the new normal for leaders 10:51 How to get employee buy-in for organisational change 13:00 Leadership, psychological safety and encouraging innovation 16:58 Resilience, failure and learning in a changing workplace 20:29 Leading humans through change, AI adoption and ERP transformation 22:25 Richard Gerver's advice for finance leaders managing major change projects 23:41 Key takeaways and CPA Australia Congress 2026 preview
What does responsible leadership look like when short-term performance still matters? This episode explores stewardship as a practical approach to balancing profit, purpose, stakeholder interests and long-term value. Key learnings include: What stewardship means in today's leadership environment Why organisations are shifting from short-term thinking to long-term value creation The connection between purpose, values and leadership effectiveness How leaders can build cultures of accountability and responsibility Balancing stakeholder expectations in a complex world Practical actions individuals can take to become better stewards in their own roles This podcast aims to help leaders understand how a stewardship mindset can drive both sustainable business success and meaningful societal impact. Tune in now. Host: Patrick Viljoen, ESG Lead, CPA Australia Guest: Rajeev Peshawaria, CEO of Steward Leadership Institute and an internationally recognised author, speaker and leadership expert whose work has challenged executives around the world to rethink the purpose of leadership and the role of values in driving sustainable success. You can find more about Steward Leadership Institute on LinkedIn. Loving this episode? Listen to more INTHEBLACK episodes and other CPA Australia podcasts on YouTube. Head to our podcast page CPA Australia - YouTube And of course, click subscribe to the channel today. We deliver regular content that will help boost your career skills and capabilities. Additionally, INTHEBLACK online has stories on everyday ethics issues. CPA Australia publishes four podcasts, providing commentary and thought leadership across business, finance, and accounting https://www.cpaaustralia.com.au/tools-and-resources/podcasts INTHEBLACK https://www.cpaaustralia.com.au/tools-and-resources/podcasts/intheblack INTHEBLACK Out Loud https://www.cpaaustralia.com.au/tools-and-resources/podcasts/intheblack-outloud Excel Tips Excel Tips | CPA Australia With Interest https://www.cpaaustralia.com.au/tools-and-resources/podcasts/with-interest Search for them in your podcast platform. Email the podcast team at [email protected] Email the podcast team at [email protected]