Helping Embedded Employees Thrive: Strategies and Insights

Dexis hires and manages numerous embedded employees—staff persons working for Dexis but who are located physically at a client’s site to provide them with essential support—for a wide range of clients, including the CDC, DOD, DOL, State, and USAID. We spoke with Olivia Lieberthal, a Dexis employee embedded at USAID, and Cary Marlette Clarke, her manager, about the unique dynamics of this arrangement.

Q: Why be an embedded employee?

Olivia: Working as an embedded employee provides a high level of flexibility and diversity of opportunities. Embedded employees receive exposure to several professional environments, working closely with colleagues on both the corporate and client sides and participating in a variety of unique projects. Your career can more easily translate to other companies and industries in the public or private space. You quickly develop transferable skills and build experience in multiple capacities, which can make you a more well-rounded, desirable professional and lead to expanded career progression opportunities. While there are benefits to serving in one capacity, the diversity and variability that comes with being an embedded employee are very valuable to me.

Q: What skills or traits signal that a candidate will be successful in an embedded position?

Cary: Given the unique dynamic of working with the client and with their employer, an embedded employee needs to be open minded and adaptable. They should be proactive about things like requests for PTO, completing timesheets, and required trainings. There can be a learning curve for a lot of staff, but it’s something you can grow into. As a supervisor, I’m also here to help them navigate and expand into their role.

Olivia: There is significant diversity in the individuals who work in embedded positions, so there isn’t one set of traits or characteristics that determine success in this capacity. But, in my opinion, being adaptable is essential to a successful and positive experience. There are a certain unknowns going into any embedded position. Oftentimes, you are unfamiliar with how the department or specific team operates. You have double the emails, double the managers, and double the meetings. It requires a level of time management, organization, and flexibility to thrive in this role.

Q: How can an embedded employee feel part of a team at the home office?

Olivia: Sometimes in contracting—depending on the employer’s level of involvement with its staff—the only communication you have with the home office is in relation to human resources aspects. In my experience, Dexis completely integrates staff and makes everyone feel like part of the team. I feel treated equally by leadership and encouraged to engage in all activities. Dexis-wide meetings, project meetings, virtual and in-person events, and opportunities to attend conferences or trainings are always open to embedded staff. There’s a frequency of engagement and consistency in communications from Dexis that creates a sense of trust and allows for relationships with corporate and embedded colleagues to grow.

Cary: At Dexis, and on our contract specifically, we’re really good at creating opportunities for staff to connect, not only with us in the management team but also with one another. This is especially important as many of our staff do not sit in the same office or on the same team at USAID and may not have many chances to connect with one another on a regular basis. We have peer learning circles around specific topics, monthly all-contract meetings with ice breakers and introductions to new staff, as well as important project and corporate updates. And we do social events on a quarterly basis, which staff really seem to enjoy. They don’t just sit in their project office. They get to meet new people.

Q: What are the best ways to manage an embedded employee (vs. a non-embedded one)?

Cary: I think there’s a delicate balance between giving them space and staying on top of things. Everyone I supervise who’s embedded has a very full plate. I like my staff to feel comfortable and check in with me on the cadence that works for them. It depends on their preferred working style. We meet at least once a month. Some prefer biweekly. I make sure they are aware and taking advantage of relevant professional development opportunities, and we’re having ongoing conversations about their growth. I like to say I’m an advocate for my employees and generally make myself available.

Olivia: It’s nuanced. The key as an embedded employee is to learn when to engage your client-side team lead, when to engage your employer, and when it’s appropriate to engage with both. It took me a little while to figure that out. I’ve always found it beneficial to ask my client-side team lead what their vision is for my role—how they would like the role to be approached, what deliverables they want, and their priorities. Anything involving your career progression—title, salary, and goals—are best communicated with your employer. I ensure my professional relationship with my corporate-side manager is built on consistent communication, clear performance goals, and trust. I’ve been lucky to have extremely positive experiences with supervisors on both ends.