MESSAGE FROM OUR CEO’S DESK
I'm writing this from London, and by the time it lands in your inbox, we'll be in Paris. I was chatting with one of my friends here, and they said that a big difference they noticed between US and European culture is that people in Europe don’t ask what you do for work. In the US, people seem to be obsessed. It’s always the first or second question out of anyone’s mouth when you meet them, whether you’re in New York or San Francisco.
I can't stop thinking about what that says about us. We've built a culture where "what do you do" is more than simple small talk. It's an audit in which we size each other up by title and company before we know a single thing about each other.
I have seen the extreme version of this with founders, and I’m personally hyper-aware of never wanting to become that person. I've worked with some founders who, if you took away the Founder/CEO job, genuinely wouldn't know how to function or make money in a "regular" job. Not because they lack skill, but because their entire identity is welded to being The Founder. That’s some risky business. Founders who can't separate themselves from the company can't imagine handing off decisions, make worse calls under pressure, and burn out because stepping back feels like disappearing. A well-rounded human makes a better leader than someone who has nothing else to be.
So in the European spirit, the next time you meet someone new, test yourself and see how long you can go without talking about work. Try one of these questions instead:
“How did you end up here today?” Actually get the story of how you’re both connected to the place that you’re meeting.
“Are you watching any good shows right now?” I just started Season 2 of The Gentleman! I’m also partway through The Lion, an amazing documentary series on Disney+ that follows a lion in the Masai Mara over 4 years.
“Any upcoming travel plans?” I just came from Lisbon, where I was visiting my cousin, and London, where I met up with my husband for a friend’s wedding, and now we’re in Paris for the long weekend!!
“Did you grow up around here? What was that like?” I grew up in Weston, CT. It was beautiful, but I found it a bit boring and one-dimensional! That’s why I much prefer NYC.
“Where do you live? What’s your favorite neighborhood restaurant?” I live in Downtown Brooklyn - you should check out Rucola!
“What are you up to this weekend?” Exploring Paris; we’re staying at the hotel where my husband and I first vacationed together. We’re excited to be back!
What I do between the hours of 9 to 5 is the least interesting thing about me, and I bet it is about you too. We don't have to import all of Europe's culture, but this one's worth stealing!
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THE HR BRIEFING 🗞️
THE LATEST NEWS TO KNOW
HR headlines and stories, curated with our perspective. 🤝
The strict standard that presumptively invalidated neutral workplace dress code policies restricting union insignia, established by the National Labor Relations Board, has been rejected by the U.S. Second Circuit Court of Appeals, according to Ballard Spahr.
↪️ PFunc’s Perspective: Employers can take a breather when it comes to enforcing basic uniform standards without getting drawn into a legal battle. Just remember: having a uniform policy is fine, but using it to attack worker organizing will still land you in hot water.
While 39% of business leaders expected moderate or major disruption during organizational shifts, over 51% said they experienced it, with 87% of HR leaders feeling unprepared, reports HR Dive.
↪️ PFunc’s Perspective: Successful change management is a sign of a great leader, but most are simply relying on experience instead of actively preparing. Creating a real plan and equipping the HR leaders who will roll it out is the difference between an organization that stays ahead and one that takes over 3 months to recover in the aftermath.
A couple of other stories we think you’d like:
HR Brew: Unemployed women on GLP-1s are landing jobs significantly faster than non-users, spotlighting appearance-based hiring bias.
Quiver Quantitative: The Thirty-Two Hour Workweek Act has been reintroduced in the federal legislature, aiming to amend the Fair Labor Standards Act.
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COMPLIANCE CHECK
Watch out for these HR compliance items going into effect (or hitting deadlines) within the next month.
Federal (eff. 9/21) – Covered federal contractors are no longer required to ask applicants or employees about their disability status or track their teams against a 7% disability utilization goal.
Connecticut (eff. 10/1) – Employers are now accountable for AI-driven employment decisions, barring AI as a discrimination defense and requiring WARN Act notices to disclose if they’re due to AI.
Connecticut (eff. 10/1) – Employers must post and give prior written notice to affected employees disclosing the types of monitoring and specific locations where electronic monitoring may occur.
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.
Below are some highlights from the latest job openings in our network.
Staff Systems Software Engineer, Thatgamecompany - Build the systems that prove gameplay features work and efficiency infrastructure to speed up those processes.
Implementation & Support Specialist, Luminary - Own new customer onboarding and deliver a bespoke, clear experience, drive tactical execution and product expertise, and conduct customer discovery.
Bioinformatics Analyst, OATH - Translate microbiome and genomics data into decisions and develop manuscript-quality reports, figures, and executive summaries that interpret how internal microbe collections display traits.
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.
CLIENT HIGHLIGHT
From high-growth startups to established enterprises, our community of partners is growing. Check out the latest addition to our roster.
CurbWaste – Our newest client, headquartered in New York, is a cloud-based waste management software company that helps hauling, commercial, and transfer station businesses streamline their operations, fleet dispatching, and billing. Since the platform’s creation in 2016, they’ve raised over $20M in capital and have been recognized on the 2024 SMBTech 50 list.
We’re thrilled to work alongside CurbWaste’s team!
CHRONICALLY ONLINE📱
Thanks to Mandy, we know that a company can’t fire you for being pregnant… or can they?🤰
@peoplefunction Can you get fired for being pregnant? Let's find out with some help from Mandy 🤰 Subscribe to our weekly newsletter for more HR breakdowns... See more
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. 🫢)
