Lamari Brayboy Lii
Head of HR & People Ops
Thoughtworks
Episode 98
Unlock HR's true power: From cost center to profit driver with data-driven strategy.
Current chapter: Built by People podcast features insights from world's top HR leaders
Built By PeopleJuly 21, 2025 · 12:31
Thesis
“HR must evolve from a perceived cost center to an indispensable strategic business partner by adopting a data-driven, cross-functional approach, translating HR initiatives into measurable business value, and integrating deeply with financial and sales objectives.”
Show notes
Unlocking HR Excellence: Insights from Lamari Brayboy Lii on the Built by People Podcast
In this episode of the Built by People Podcast, we host Lamari, an HR executive who shares his career journey from law to HR consulting. Lamari discusses key HR strategies, including demonstrating ROI for HR initiatives, integrating financial metrics into decision-making, and transforming HR from a cost center to a strategic partner.
He emphasizes the importance of cross-functional collaboration, internal marketing to strengthen HR branding, and being proactive in professional development. Sponsored by Previ, the podcast highlights ways to enhance employees' financial wellbeing through employer networks.
00:00 Introduction to the Built by People Podcast
00:56 Sponsor Message: Previ Network
01:20 Guest Introduction: Lamari's Career Journey
02:51 Demonstrating ROI in HR Initiatives
04:46 Strategies for HR Professionals to Integrate Financial Metrics
06:42 Transforming HR into a Strategic Business Partner
09:04 Leveraging Internal Marketing for HR Branding
11:19 Parting Advice for HR Professionals
12:26 Conclusion and Farewell
What you'll take away
- 1Quantify HR initiatives using cost-benefit analysis, projected outcomes, and benchmarking against industry standards to effectively demonstrate ROI and secure leadership funding.
- 2Empower HR professionals by involving them in cross-functional business conversations (e.g., headcount, customer contracts, margin) to deepen their business acumen and strategic understanding.
- 3Shift HR metric focus from 'time to hire' to 'time to productivity' to directly correlate HR efforts with revenue goals and speak the language of business leaders.
- 4Leverage internal marketing teams to craft appealing communications for HR programs, increasing engagement and utilization of benefits like mental health services.
- 5Foster an 'interdisciplinary' approach across departments, inviting all stakeholders into problem-solving discussions to achieve shared targets and reduce single-source accountability.
What most organizations get wrong
- •HR should influence sales strategy by aligning client pursuits with current and projected internal talent resources, rather than sales solely dictating hiring based on external demand.
- •Professional development for HR professionals can begin internally by proactively engaging in cross-functional meetings within the business, offering a cost-effective alternative to external conferences.
In Lamari's words
“we were able to reduce turnover by just 10% and save the business about $1 million annually.”
This quote powerfully demonstrates the financial impact of an HR initiative, showing how a seemingly small reduction in turnover can lead to significant cost savings and justify investment.
“What's more important, we found by being in these cross-functional meetings as times to productivity and that direct correlation to revenue goals.”
This highlights a critical shift in HR metrics from traditional hiring speed to a more business-centric measure directly tied to revenue generation.
“The reality was that two things were true. What's also important is that we're selling to the resources that we have today and the resources that we know we're going to be obtaining over the course of the next quarter, right?”
This quote presents a contrarian view on sales strategy, suggesting that HR insights into current and future talent should inform sales targets, not just external demand.
“Leveraging our internal marketing team has really helped increase utilization for a lot of the benefits that we have low utilization on.”
This emphasizes the practical benefit of HR collaborating with internal marketing to improve employee engagement with existing benefits, showcasing a tangible ROI for marketing partnership.
“Ask to be invited into meetings that typically you wouldn't find make sense for your department, but see what you can take from that in order to influence your role, your department, and overall the business at the end of the day.”
This advice encourages HR professionals to proactively expand their business acumen and influence by seeking cross-functional exposure, framing professional development as an internal initiative.
The problems this episode addresses
- •High turnover among mid-level managers, leading to decreased productivity and morale.
- •Difficulty for HR to secure funding for initiatives due to challenges in demonstrating clear business ROI.
- •The perception of HR as a cost center rather than a strategic value-add to the business.
- •Low utilization rates of valuable employee benefits, indicating poor communication or lack of perceived value.
- •HR professionals lacking foundational understanding of financial metrics like P&L statements, cost modeling, and ROI calculations.
- •Ineffective internal communication strategies for HR programs, leading to overlooked information and low employee engagement with initiatives.
- •Sales departments focusing solely on external client demand without considering the existing and projected internal talent pool and capacity.
In this episode
Built by People podcast features insights from world's top HR leaders
Built by People
And as a starting question, I always like to ask if you can share a little bit about your career journey
Career Paths of CSOs
Lamari demonstrates ROI of an HR initiative to secure funding
How to Demonstrate the ROI of an HR Initiative
Omari says enabling HR professionals to be in cross-functional conversations is key
WSJD Live: HR as a Cost-Center Partner
Omari uses internal marketing to strengthen HR branding across the organization
How HR Branding is Being Strengened
Omari: Invest in professional development can start directly inside your business
Stay Curious
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Organizations and entities mentioned
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