OUR HISTORY

How Our Advanced Workforce Engagement Strategy Came to Be

A Personal Note from Dr. Ken Amitin, President, Organizational Services Corporation

Welcome! Thank you for visiting our Web site.

A little bit about my background and how it inspired our Advanced Workforce Engagement strategy:

Advanced Workforce Engagement is the culmination of over three decades helping diverse organizations including most recently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; the Nuclear Regulatory Commission; and the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning - accomplish their mission more effectively through their people. It is a powerful process, and with the dedicated support of top leadership, it works for our clients every time it is deployed.

As I reflect upon the major events and experiences that have shaped my career, the thread that binds them together always involved bringing people with diverse interests, backgrounds, and perspectives together to solve problems and grow together as a team.

Learning “Engagement” Lessons: The Early Years

In 1966, upon graduating from California State University, Northridge, I joined VISTA (Volunteer in Service to America), assigned to a rural county in Georgia, and given the broad and ambiguous mission of addressing the needs of poor people.

While driving the county back roads, I came across a barely visible small community nestled in a wooded area sheltering 25-plus substandard houses with no indoor plumbing, not even outdoor bathrooms, and only a common well-water facility, which proved to be contaminated. Over 200 people--mostly single parents with young children-- lived in this neglected pocket of poverty.

In the two years I spent living and working in this community, I functioned as a catalyst and facilitator, bringing renters, the property owner, clergy, and business and civic leaders together to discuss how to best address the needs of the community. The first practical result was an event where people provided materials and labor and pitched in to build outdoor toilets and decontaminate the well-water. Eventually, the community underwent a transformation with the financing and building of low-cost housing coupled with health, education, and job assistance programs.

I experienced and witnessed firsthand the “power of engagement” and learned to:

Create a safe climate for participation in problem-solving.
Understand, acknowledge, and respect the diversity of interests, perspectives, and needs of all stakeholders.
Encourage involvement and support of leaders at every step along the way.
Keep goals and objectives real and practical.
Focus on “winnable” and “solvable” problems.
Recognize that small steps often lead to major successes.
Respect the ability and motivation of people to solve their own problems and improve the quality of their lives and the lives of others.

Acquiring Training Skills

While working for ACTION (the federal agency for citizen volunteerism) I was fortunate to receive extensive instruction in “participatory training” by Fredric Margolis, a protégé of Professor Malcom Knowles-- who is often referred to as the father of adult education. I utilized these skills as Regional Training Specialist and Program Development Officer responsible for designing and conducting training programs for volunteers, supervisors, and program leaders throughout the Southeastern United States. Training was a natural extension and compliment to what I view as my life’s work--helping people and organizations succeed by achieving goals through the quality and creativity of their working relationships.

Expanding Education

In 1979, I established Organizational Services Corporation (OSC), where, in a collaborative partnership with Fred, I continued to hone my training design and delivery skills. Together, we designed a series of specialized workshops which now support and reinforce our Advanced Workforce Engagement strategy. Taking my education to the next level, I attended Atlanta University where I earned a Masters of Arts degree, and later to Georgia State University for a PhD in Educational Leadership with a focus on career and organizational development.

Addressing a Key “Disengagement” Factor

While working towards my doctorate, I became fascinated with the topic of “career plateauing”, the fact that most people reach a point in their career where the prospect of continuous promotional opportunities and pay increases, even when deserved, are limited. When plateaued, many in the workplace feel “unsuccessful”, and begin to “disengage”. Low morale, poor performance, and undesirable turnover are often the result.

I concluded that a broader view of “success” would be helpful for everyone – linking true achievement to the quality of one’s life, work, and working relationships. That’s why Expanding Work Satisfaction with Life/Work Balance is the first component of our Advanced Workforce Engagement strategy, and sets the stage for: 2) Generating Solutions for Process and Customer Service Improvements; and 3) Implementing Solutions for Results.

In summary, Advanced Workforce Engagement helps organizations accomplish their goals more effectively through their people.

I am committed to making sure that Advanced Workforce Engagement will work in your best interest. Please call me directly if you would like more information or would like to discuss how we can be of service to you and your organization. Our team looks forward to hearing from you!

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How Our Advanced Workforce Engagement Strategy Came to Be

A Personal Note from Dr. Ken Amitin, President, Organizational Services Corporation

Learning “Engagement” Lessons: The Early Years

Acquiring Training Skills

Expanding Education

Addressing a Key “Disengagement” Factor

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