MESSAGE FROM OUR CEO’S DESK

Last week, I had the pleasure of speaking at Justworks’ Community Moves event for small businesses. I sat on a panel titled "Don't Forget the Human Touch - Culture, Community & Creating in the Age of AI," moderated by Justworks’ CRO, John Belle. John threw out a heavy hitter, "What will the workforce look like in three years, and what will HR be responsible for?"

It’s a question that keeps me up at night out of PURE anticipation. For too long, HR has been buried under paperwork and admin work. In three years, that weight is going to lift, but it’s going to leave a lot of people wondering what to do with their hands.

This isn't just an HR thing. We are seeing this shift across all business functions. I was chatting with João Rosa, Managing Director of our dev shop Runtime Revolution, and he noted that his engineers aren’t responsible for pumping out code anymore - their roles have evolved into technical leaders who solve business problems. I even have a client whose Chief of Staff recently admitted feeling guilty for not building a financial model in over a year.

My advice to her was to get comfortable. Soon, no human will be building models from scratch. We’re moving from being doers to being directors.

If we aren't going to be managing the process, we have to start managing the strategy now. Here is what I see coming for us by 2029…

• The Death of Admin: Administrative tasks won't just be easier, they’ll be invisible. AI agents will handle the heavy lifting of compliance, scheduling, and basic inquiries.

• The Identity Crisis: Mid-level HR pros often find security in managing the process and admin tasks. As that work disappears, that feeling of security will need to evolve. The new safety needs to be found in influence.

• HR as Strategic Counsel: Our value will be measured solely by our ability to sit with executives, diagnose a cultural or structural challenge, and provide expert guidance that moves the needle.

• Managing the Machine: We won't just manage people, we’ll manage the agents that manage the tasks. Prompting and auditing AI will be as foundational as understanding a P&L.

The human touch isn't about filing forms; it's about the nuance, empathy, and high-level problem-solving that a bot can’t replicate. We’re finally getting the tools to do the job we were actually hired for.

Are you ready to trade your spreadsheets for strategy?

THE HR BRIEFING 🗞️

THE LATEST NEWS TO KNOW

The latest HR headlines and stories, curated with our perspective. 🤝

Most HR teams are not using AI to determine employee compensation, a Korn Ferry survey revealed.

• ↪️ PFunc’s Perspective: AI can be great for gathering salary data and spotting patterns, but final pay decisions need a human touch. Use tech to organize information, but keep people in charge of the actual choices to ensure fairness and trust.

“All you had to do is pay us enough to live,” a Kimberly-Clark employee said while setting ablaze a warehouse, the L.A. Times reported.

• ↪️ PFunc’s Perspective: This is a sobering reminder that CEOs and HR teams need to ensure wages provide stability, and total compensation truly supports employee well-being, especially in an economy where the gap between executive pay and hourly wages continues to widen.

Other stories we think you might like.

• HRM America: A whites-only hiring directive turned into a $3.39 million verdict.

• The New Yorker: A months-long investigation revealed Sam Altman’s inner circle thinks he’s a liar.

• The Wall Street Journal: Participation in the U.S. labor force hit its lowest point since 1977, excluding the pandemic.

COMPLIANCE CHECK

Here are the HR compliances going into effect (or hitting deadlines) this month.

• Federal (immediately): President Trump signed an EO requiring federal contractors to audit their internal policies for "prohibited training" within 30 days to avoid False Claims Act liability.

• Federal (effective Tomorrow) - Don't forget Form 8928. All employers must self-report health plan compliance failures.

• New York City (effective 4/18/26) - Credit checks are officially dead for most NYC hiring. Update your background check workflows now.

Subscribe to The PFunc Pulse to stay ahead of the curve with the latest HR tips, trends, talent on the market, open jobs, and hot topics.

THE OPPORTUNITY EXCHANGE 📈

ROLES ON OUR RADAR

The PFunc job board is packed with open roles across our client companies, making it easier than ever to tap into our network.

This week, we’re sharing the newest openings in our network.

• Allocate, Senior Software Engineer II - Bridging hardware-to-AI systems.

• Inspiren, Principal Systems Project Manager, Perception Hardware & Platform - High-speed backend and API scaling.

• Small Door, Member Experience Coordinator - Front-of-house for the modern vet clinic.

See a role you’re interested in? Reply to this email and we’ll try to connect you with the hiring team. Hiring for an open role yourself? Reply to have your job featured in an upcoming PFunc Pulse issue.

WHERE TO NEXT?

Our team is always on the move, popping up at the HR events, conferences, and summits we actually love.

APRIL

• Startup Leadership Salon (Fabrik NYC) – April 16 from 6 to 8 p.m.

  • Lindsay Glogower, PFunc’s Recruiting Practice Lead, will break down the strategy on who and how to hire.

MAY

• Sequoia x People Function Dinner Party (New York City) – May 6 from 6 to 8 p.m.

  • Join tech HR leaders for dinner and a candid dive into what works when building equitable leave programs.

CHRONICALLY ONLINE📱

Emma breaks down why HR was actually created in our latest viral video. 

@peoplefunction

Keep watching to find out the real purpose of HR 📝

Join 100,000+ followers across PFunc’s Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn, hailed as “one of the best HR accounts online today.” 😉

STAY IN TOUCH 💌

If you’re interested in fractional HR support for your team, reply to this email or contact us to learn more about our offerings, pricing, and how we can support your growing company.

Join the Talent Network here (it’s free!). Whether you’re actively exploring new opportunities or happily employed but open to the right fit, becoming part of our network boosts your profile when roles align with your experience, skills, and career goals.💡

🗣️ Thoughts, feedback, requests? Let us know! 🗣️

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Every Tuesday, The PFunc Pulse delivers the HR news and compliance shifts you actually need to know about, without all the corporate fluff. Emma brings her unfiltered take on the trends keeping CEOs awake at night, served with the gritty, practical wisdom of a founder who’s seen it all. Real talk for better people decisions, week by week. (P.S. Do your work bestie a favor and forward this— friends don't let friends do old school HR. 🫢)