PFunc Intro & AMA

Message from our CEO’s Desk

Hello & Happy Hump Day! It’s Women’s History Month, and International Women’s Day is just around the corner. When reflecting on our month, I couldn’t help but think about all the things women experience at work, in our personal lives, and everything we’re up against in our journeys to find professional and personal fulfillment.

Personal share incoming - I was in an emotionally abusive relationship for over 2 years. My partner would tell me regularly that I was selfish, a poor communicator and listener, bad at taking feedback, that I was a bitch and a slew of other things. Because I trusted him, I began deeply believing him and doubting things about myself that I had always known to be true. I no longer thought I was the caring, sensitive, capable communicator and listener I’d always believed I was. After years of therapy, I have learned that those were false truths told by someone who was broken and hurting deeply. I’ve healed from the damage that he caused.

I’ve been reflecting on a related endemic challenge many women are plagued with - imposter syndrome. Imposter syndrome is the persistent feeling that you lack skills or abilities, even though you’re absolutely qualified. We experience imposter syndrome as a direct result of the world doubting our abilities and breathing in the air of the patriarchy day in and day out. 

With emotional abuse, we understand there is an abuser - there is a person who is causing the abuse and a person who is experiencing it. However, imposter syndrome puts the emphasis on the person experiencing it, as if THEY are deficient. It’s as if they are afflicted with an incurable syndrome and are “less than” because of it. We don’t blame the person suffering from emotional abuse, but we do blame the person experiencing imposter syndrome and tell them to simply “get over it.”

So here is my ask: Let’s rename imposter syndrome and put the blame back where it belongs: on the external factors that teach women that we are less than. Enter “Internalized Invalidation.” Internalized invalidation puts the emphasis back on systemic issues we experience and internalize as self-doubt. It’s not an incurable syndrome; instead internalized invalidation (like emotional abuse) is something we can recognize, learn that it’s a false belief we have internalized from others, and overcome.

This Women’s History Month, join me in eradicating imposter syndrome from our speech. It’s not our fault or our deficiency. 

Emma

Ask the Experts

Question:

How do you deal with sexual harassment in the workplace?

Answer:

Sexual harassment is never acceptable. Every employee deserves to work in an environment where they feel safe and respected, but unfortunately, that is not always the case. Responding to sexual harassment in the workplace requires a proactive, clear, and supportive approach. Addressing these situations with urgency and transparency is key to maintaining a culture of trust and accountability.

Here’s what you can do as an employee:

• Know the Policy. Every company should have a clear harassment policy outlining what constitutes harassment, how to report it, and a detailed report of the company's steps in response to these claims. Review your employee handbook or reach out to your HR team for more information. 

• Encourage Reporting. If you experience or witness harassment, report it through the appropriate channels—whether that’s HR, an anonymous reporting system, or a designated leader.

Responding as the HR person or company leader:

• Respond Promptly and Fairly. If a report is made, you are legally obligated to act swiftly and handle the situation with confidentiality, sensitivity, and fairness. This includes conducting a thorough investigation and taking appropriate corrective action if necessary. Your internal or external HR team or legal team can conduct this investigation.

• Foster a Culture of Respect. Preventing harassment starts with the workplace culture. Leaders and employees should promote respect and inclusivity, ensuring that inappropriate behavior is not tolerated.

• Required Training. Many state and local laws require employers to provide employees with annual or biannual harassment prevention training. While not federally required, the EEOC strongly recommends that all employers conduct this training. Providing this training helps mitigate legal risks, fosters a workplace culture of safety and respect, reinforces expectations and creates a safer environment for everyone. 

• Support Those Affected. Experiencing or witnessing harassment can be distressing. Employers should provide support resources, such as Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs), counseling, or internal support groups, to help affected employees navigate the situation.

Addressing sexual harassment isn’t just about responding to an incident—it’s about creating an environment where everyone feels safe, heard, and respected. If you have questions or need guidance, please reach out to your HR or People support team.

If you have HR-related questions that you’d like to see featured in our “Ask the Experts” section, please submit them here. You may see your question in our next edition! 

ICYMI Compliance Tips

Below are the latest HR regulatory and compliance updates published within the last month:

• Michigan (eff. 2/21/25) - the state’s Earned Sick Time Act (EST) has gone into effect requiring employers of all sizes to offer up to 72 hours per year of EST accrued at a rate of one hour for every 30 hours worked.

• New York (eff. 6/2/25) - the Retail Worker Safety Act will roll out requirements for employers with 10 or more retail employees to adopt a written workplace violence prevention policy and provide employee training.

On The PFunc Market

Talent Spotlight

Below are a few fantastic, vetted folks who are actively on the market looking for new roles and consulting opportunities. Please reach out directly to the candidates or reply to this email if you’d like to learn more!

• Gustad Mody, Director of Quality Assurance. Gustad has 20+ years of experience leading and managing teams of QA testers and engineers, overseeing product development, and implementing agile methodologies and software testing best practices. He is open to full-time, part-time, or temp-to-perm Director of QA roles. 

• Tara Huggins, Senior Events Manager. Tara is a seasoned event professional with over a decade of experience managing high-profile corporate and institutional events, specializing in internal events, conferences, and executive engagement. She is open to full-time roles where she can leverage her expertise in strategy, execution, and team leadership.

• Anonymous Candidate, Head of Product. This candidate has 15+ years of experience and is energized by building and scaling products, with a knack for quickly getting up to speed in new industries and driving growth in the US and globally. Their experience spans hardware and software, focusing on leveraging AI technologies. They are open to full-time LA-based or remote Head of Product and VP of Product roles. If you want to learn more about this candidate, we’d happily introduce you!

If you’re on the market for a new role in HR/People Operations, Business Operations, or Leadership & Executive and Executive support roles, and you’d like to be featured in our “Talent Spotlight” section, please submit your information here.

Open Roles in our Network

• People Function: Senior Compensation Consultant - this role is a 3-month part-time opportunity to work closely with our Lead Compensation Consultant to ensure our client’s compensation strategies align with their business goals, attract and retain top talent, and are industry-competitive.

• Alma: Senior Manager, Talent Development - this role will lead Alma’s learning and development initiatives, focusing on designing, delivering, and managing learning programs and tools that enhance employee skills, leadership capabilities, and organizational effectiveness.

• Flex: Senior Human Resources Manager - this role will oversee critical HR functions, including talent acquisition, employee engagement, performance management, compliance, and HR analytics, to support Flex’s fast-paced growth trajectory.

If you have an open role at your company that you’d like to highlight in our next newsletter, please reply to this email!

PFunc News

Team Member Spotlight

This month, we’re thrilled to celebrate the two-year anniversaries of two full-time team members: Adriana Estrada Genao, HR Practice Lead, and Jalia Hines, HR & People Consultant. They have been instrumental in driving People Function forward—bringing their expertise, passion, and dedication to our team, clients, and community. We couldn’t be more grateful to have them on this journey with us. In honor of their “pfunc-aversaries,” take a moment to relive one of our favorite Instagram Reels—the “HR Pop Quiz”—featuring these two in action! 🎉

people_function

View more on Instagram

We’re excited about what’s ahead and can’t wait to continue growing together! #TeamPFunc 💙✨

PFunc Highlights

• Leapsome Breakfast for HR Consultants: Join Leapsome and Emma Leeds, our CEO and Founder, for an exclusive breakfast & workshop for HR Consultants & Fractional HR Leaders in NYC on March 12th at 9 a.m. EST. Emma will share actionable strategies for elevating your brand and attracting more clients for your business. Spots are limited! Apply now to secure your invite (click here).

• People Function at Transform! Emma Leeds, Allison Leung, Ariella Goldsmith Chaparro, and Phelan Maxey will represent People Function at the HR Transform Conference in Las Vegas in a few weeks! We’re hosting a Timbaland Pregame happy hour, and we would love to see you there! Sign up to receive an invite here.

• Website Relaunch! Earlier this week, we launched our new website! New look, same people-first approach, and a rapidly growing team! Check out our shiny new website here.

Client Corner

Celebrating our newest client, who recently returned in their second engagement with us…

Tideline - Tideline is a specialist consulting firm that guides clients through each step of the impact investment process, offering services such as strategy development, impact management system design, due diligence, monitoring, reporting, and verification.

We’re thrilled to be working with their team again!

Stay in Touch!

Are you interested in fractional HR support for your team? Reply to this email or click contact us to learn more about our offerings, pricing, and how we can support your growing company.

Do you have feedback about our content or things you’d like to see us feature in future editions? Submit your thoughts here!

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