Harlem was a member of the board of NAVF from 1949 to 1957, and chaired two special committees in the NTNF (on pollution from 1970 to 1976; on working environment from 1977 to 1980) before becoming director. He chaired the board of directors of the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences from 1976 to 1988 and the Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority from 1977 to 1988, and was the deputy chair of Rikshospitalet from 1970 to 1981 and the Financial Supervisory Authority of Norway from 1985 to 1988. He was engaged in the disability rights movement, and chaired the "Sentralrådet for yrkesvalghemmede" from 1955 to 1957 and 1966 to 1970. He was also president of the International Society for the Rehabilitation of the Disabled from 1966 to 1972.