Betty Larson on HR strategy
From Leading with Purpose: Betty Larson on HR’s Role in Business Success at Merck · · WRKdefined Audio
“We often talk about this 80/20 rule: 80% of the work that we do in HR has to be in the business — helping execute strategies and make sure the organization has the capabilities it needs today and tomorrow — and the other 20% is really working on the business.”
On , Betty Larson, Executive VP & Chief Human Resources Officer at Merck & Co., spoke about HR strategy during Leading with Purpose: Betty Larson on HR’s Role in Business Success at Merck on WRKdefined Audio.
About Betty Larson
Betty Larson, Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer at Merck, appeared on the podcast *Career Club Live* on January 10, 2025. During the conversation, Larson discussed her approach to HR’s role within the company, describing a framework she referred to as the "80/20 rule." She stated that 80% of HR work should be embedded in the business to help execute strategies and ensure the organization has necessary capabilities, while the remaining 20% involves working on the business itself. Larson also emphasized the concept of "return on time investment," noting that HR processes take managers away from their teams and that the company should evaluate whether the outcomes justify the dollarized cost of that time. Larson was born and raised in Mount Prospect, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. In the interview, she advocated for agility in achieving outcomes, advising that organizations should stay focused on intended goals while being willing to shift activities in response to changing environments. She also encouraged assuming good intent in interpersonal interactions, remarking that much drama could be eliminated by doing so.