FMP Spotlight: Developmental Rotations

Introduction

A developmental rotation is a structured program allowing employees to temporarily transfer to different roles, workstreams, or departments within an organization.

I decided to participate in a developmental rotation with FMP’s business development team, and it has quite literally changed the trajectory of my career (keep reading to learn how).  I observed several near-immediate benefits, such as a deeper understanding and appreciation for different business functions across our company and the expansion of my network at FMP, and after a year in the program, I have learned a lot about myself and my organization along the way. In this blog, I’m joined by other FMPers who have participated in developmental rotations; we share our experiences, some challenges we overcame, and how we have benefited.

Check out FMP’s blog, Tips for Unlocking the Benefits of Developmental Rotations to Grow Talent from Within, to learn about the many benefits developmental rotations offer employees and employers and considerations for establishing a developmental rotation or rotation program.

Tell us about your primary role (at the time) and the rotational role. 

Emily: I was a human capital consultant at the time that a Business Development rotational role became available. I was fully dedicated to one client account but working across multiple different tasks. The rotational role was announced as an opportunity to join the BD team for about 50% of my time, lasting six months to a year.

Ashley: My primary role was supporting the Office of Personnel Management’s Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (ODEIA) in updating workforce demographic data collection methods. I also supported the production of monthly DEIA Learning Community webinars, planned several Level Up to Public Service events throughout the East Coast and virtually, and supported government-wide annual reporting. I started my rotation with the FMP Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (IDEA) team in Spring 2024. In this role, I am leading the rollout of FMP’s internal IDEA training. This year, our workforce is completing the virtual “A Brighter Tomorrow” training by Will Interactive and we’ve received amazing feedback thus far! 

Risa: I was working as a human capital consultant on a couple of projects with one of FMP’s longest-standing clients, including competency modeling, position description modernization, and IT platform implementation. In the fall of 2023, FMP announced the opportunity to participate in a part-time developmental rotation with its business development team. The rotation was scoped to include proposal development, capture planning and research, and other special projects.

Sabrina: I am working as a human capital consultant, specializing in performance management, performance pay, and awards and recognition processes for two client projects. In March 2024, I also began a rotational role with the IDEA team, alongside Ashley. This role, designed to support the implementation of FMP’s IDEA strategy and activities, was intended to last between six months to a year. Since starting, I have played a key role in launching the IDEA Speaker Series events, which involves planning, coordinating, and producing guest speaker presentations, book discussions, and conversation hours. This year, we have already scheduled several speaker events for FMP’s workforce, including topics such as Neurodiversity in the Workplace, Addressing Subtle Acts of Exclusion, and How Natives Changed the World.

What made you want to participate in a developmental rotation?

Emily: I had always been interested in business development at FMP, and it was an area where I felt like I really didn’t have much skill. Honestly, the idea of diving deep into the BD world made me very nervous, and that’s how I knew it was a challenge I wanted to take on!

Ashley: I was drawn to the IDEA rotational role because it aligns perfectly with my long-term career goals in people operations and offers an opportunity to leverage my existing skills in learning and development while honing new competencies in communication and facilitation. As a fully remote employee, I’ve sometimes felt disconnected from the broader FMP team, so this rotation appealed to me as a chance to broaden my connections within the company. The prospect of collaborating with and learning from a wider range of colleagues beyond my usual project team was particularly exciting and motivating.

What was the most challenging part of the rotation, and how did you overcome it?

Sabrina: The biggest challenge when starting my rotational role was simply not knowing where to begin, as anyone might feel when starting something new. Although I had always been interested in DEIA, I had never worked on projects that included DEIA initiatives or deliverables. Additionally, I had never collaborated directly with anyone on the IDEA team, which made me hesitant and nervous about diving into my tasks. However, my manager on the IDEA team quickly alleviated my concerns by setting up weekly calls and being readily accessible for any questions or issues I encountered. We even held an onsite meeting where the entire team gathered in-person to discuss preferred work and communication styles, brainstorm ideas, and address any challenges or roadblocks that any of us were facing. This experience left me feeling not only confident but also excited about the initiatives I was starting with my new team.

Risa: Managing the ebb and flow of my workload was challenging. At the beginning of the rotation, we set the expectation of an even split (on average) between the two workstreams: 50% client projects and 50% business development rotation. I used recurring touchpoints with my client project manager and rotation manager to proactively communicate my workload and the upcoming needs of both workstreams. Both managers helped me plan and afforded me the flexibility to operate at different splits for short periods of time to meet surges from the other workstream.

How has rotation benefited your professional and personal development?

Risa: After a year in the rotation, I will be making the transition into a full-time role with our Business Development team! I’m excited about the new opportunities and growth this change in career focus will bring, and I am thankful to have had the support of my organization while exploring a different path.

Emily: Even after 9 years of being fully focused on BD at FMP (I never actually rotated out of the role because I loved it so much!), I’m still continuously learning. The learning occurs on a professional and personal level, and that keeps me interested, engaged, and motivated. 

Risa Witherow is a Senior Consultant at FMP Consulting with several years of experience working with clients in the public and private sectors to improve the functioning and effectiveness of their organizations and enrich the experiences had by their employees. She earned an M.A. in Industrial/Organizational Psychology and a B.S. in Communication Studies and Writing from Middle Tennessee State University. Risa began a developmental rotation with FMP’s Business Development team in October 2023.

Emily Fairbairn has been with FMP Consulting since July 2012 and leads FMP’s Growth Optimization Team. She earned her Master’s in Strategic Human Capital Management from Georgetown University and Bachelor’s in Psychology and Criminology from the University of Maryland-College Park. Emily is driven by her enjoyment of working with people in and out of FMP to help the company meet its growth goals.

Sabrina Cushing joined FMP in September 2021 as a Human Capital Consultant and focuses on strategic planning, performance management, and awards and recognition processes. She holds an M.A. in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from George Mason University. Sabrina began a developmental rotation with FMP’s Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Accessibility (IDEA) team in March 2024.

Ashley Dorsett joined FMP Consulting as a Human Capital Consultant in February 2023. She holds an M.S. in Counseling & Student Development from Kansas State University and a B.S. in Psychology from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Ashley has eight years of professional experience in human resources and learning solutions, with expertise in recruitment, performance management, and training design. At FMP, Ashley supports the Office of Personnel Management’s (OPM) Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (ODEIA), focusing on workforce DEIA demographic data collection efforts and various DEIA initiatives like Level Up to Public Service and the annual Employee Resource Group Summit.