🎧 Listen now:
• From Economist to HR Leader: An Unconventional Journey [00:02:00]
Norbert shares his transition from consulting to HR, how his analytical background shaped his approach, and why building high-performing organizations keeps him engaged.
• HR as a Business Partner: Moving from Interference to Impact [00:09:00]
To be truly effective, HR must be deeply embedded in the business. Norbert discusses why understanding operations and speaking the language of leadership is critical.
• “Fit for Role”: A New Way to Assess Talent & Performance [00:16:00]
Beyond traditional performance ratings, Norbert explains BD’s “Fit for Role” framework—how it helps align talent with business strategy and ensure the right people are in the right roles.
• Scaling Talent Development with AI & Data [00:21:00]
Norbert reveals how BD leverages AI-driven insights to improve individual development plans, coach leaders, and enhance HR decision-making at scale.
• VR-Powered Onboarding: Connecting Employees to Purpose [00:25:00]
BD is using VR technology to make onboarding more engaging, helping new employees experience the life-saving impact of their work from day one.
Norbert Modla, Vice President of Human Resources for Greater Asia at Becton Dickinson (BD), explores the evolving landscape of talent strategy, performance management, and HR transformation. As a global leader in medical technology, BD is redefining how organizations assess and develop talent to stay ahead in a rapidly changing world. Modla shares key insights on the “Fit for Role” framework, the role of AI in HR, and how aligning people with strategy drives long-term business success.
Traditional performance reviews often fail to capture an employee’s full potential. At BD, Norbert Modla champions the “Fit for Role” framework, which goes beyond past performance to assess whether an individual is aligned with the company’s evolving strategy.
Example from Norbert’s Experience:
Rather than relying solely on historical performance, BD conducts quarterly reviews to evaluate whether teams are equipped to meet future business needs. By regularly assessing leadership capabilities, agility, and alignment with company goals, BD ensures that its workforce remains future-ready.
Practical Advice:
• Think beyond past performance—evaluate employees based on their ability to drive future success.
• Review talent alignment frequently rather than relying on static performance ratings.
• Support leaders with coaching and development to help them adapt to shifting business needs.
To make a real difference, HR must be more than an administrative function—it must be deeply embedded in business operations. Norbert believes that HR professionals should act as business partners, ensuring that talent strategies directly contribute to commercial success.
Example from Norbert's Experience:
In his HR leadership journey, Norbert found that business leaders value HR the most when they step beyond their functional role. He emphasizes that HR professionals need to understand business challenges, engage with frontline employees, and provide strategic solutions rather than just enforcing policies.
Practical Advice:
• Spend time on the ground—visit sales teams, factories, or R&D labs to understand the real challenges employees face.
• Speak the language of leadership—use data-driven insights to influence decision-making.
• Embed HR into business discussions—HR should not be a passive observer but an active driver of strategy.
AI and data analytics are transforming how organizations identify, develop, and retain top talent. At BD, AI-driven tools are used to enhance individual development plans (IDPs), provide managers with real-time feedback, and optimize workforce planning.
Example from BD's Approach
Norbert’s team implemented an AI-powered system that reviews employee development plans and provides automated feedback at scale. This allows HR to ensure thousands of employees receive personalized growth recommendations, without overwhelming HR teams with manual reviews.
Practical Advice:
• Leverage AI for efficiency—use AI tools to automate routine HR tasks and enhance decision-making.
• Focus on micro-improvements—small, consistent enhancements in development planning lead to long-term transformation.
• Use real-time data to adjust talent strategies and ensure employees are continuously growing.
Employee engagement starts from day one. BD has revolutionized onboarding by incorporating VR (Virtual Reality) technology, helping new hires understand the real-world impact of BD’s medical devices.
Example from BD's Innovation:
Instead of traditional onboarding sessions, BD’s new employees can experience a virtual ICU, insert a catheter, and interact with BD’s life-saving medical products. This immersive experience fosters a deeper connection to the company’s mission.
Practical Advice:
• Make onboarding experiential—help employees see, feel, and connect with the company’s purpose.
• Use technology to enhance engagement—VR, AI, and gamification can make training more impactful.
• Ensure every new hire understands their role in the bigger mission from day one.
As the workplace continues to evolve, HR leaders must focus on agility, alignment, and continuous learning. Norbert envisions a future where HR proactively ensures the right people are in the right roles, at the right time, to drive business success.
Example from Norbert's Vision:
BD conducts quarterly “Fit for Role” reviews, identifying talent gaps and ensuring teams are positioned to execute strategic objectives. This ongoing assessment process keeps BD’s workforce agile and ready for change.
Practical Advice:
• Shift from annual talent reviews to continuous assessments.
• Prioritize agility over rigid structures—adapt team composition to meet business needs.
• Encourage curiosity and conviction—HR leaders should challenge the status quo and drive meaningful change.
“The biggest learning from any change management and transformation is getting down to the details and those daily habits, the way we do things around here." — Norbert Modla
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Norbert Modla
Norbert Modla is the Vice President of Human Resources for Greater Asia at Becton Dickinson (BD), a leading global medical device company. With a career spanning the U.S., Europe, and Asia, he has led HR transformation, M&A, and digital innovation initiatives across diverse industries.
Before BD, Norbert held senior HR leadership roles at Acelity (now part of 3M), Philip Morris International, and JF Hillebrand Group, overseeing HR strategies across commercial, manufacturing, and corporate functions. He also spent over eight years in consulting, driving large-scale change initiatives. Passionate about building high-performing organizations, he sees HR as assembling a winning sports team—aligning talent, strategy, and culture for success.
Dorothy Yiu is the CEO & Co-Founder of EngageRocket, one of the top Asia’s EX & people analytics platforms. Dorothy brings over a decade of experience in human resources, technology, and business strategy. Before co-founding EngageRocket, Dorothy was the Regional Head of Operations for Gallup, a global analytics and advisory company where she oversaw the execution of over 100 large-scale consulting projects globally.
Dorothy holds two degrees from Singapore Management University under the Lee Kong Chian Scholarship. She was also NTT’s Women of Future nominee in 2022 and was named SG Digital Leader by IMDA in 2024.