| This statement of W4 Vision, Objectives and governance arrangements has been drawn up by the W4 Guidance
Committee based upon discussions at and after the annual W4 conferences in Washington in 2004 and in Stockholm in 2005,
taking account of the original ideals of W4, and the experience and ideas of existing W4 and TWN (The Workplace Network)
members about the continuing purpose of the W4 network and how it should be run. W4 governance arrangements are reviewed
and discussed annually at the W4 conference. Members are invited to comment either through their delegates to conference,
or by email to bridget.hardy@ogc.gsi.gov.uk
Vision
To create and nurture a network of future leaders within public sector real property and workplace organisations to
support international knowledge exchange, continuous learning and the personal development of its membership.
Objectives
- To provide an international forum for innovation and the exchange of real property and workplace knowledge and
experience.
- To promote continuous learning through sharing of best practices, exploring issues of common interest and
collaboration in research and specific initiatives.
- To support an investment in the personal development of emerging leaders within member organisations by providing
learning opportunities, access to international contacts, connectivity to the international academic community and
through fostering alliances and partnerships with other organisations.
Guiding Principles
- W4 is a “network” and not simply an organisation that organises conferences and other learning
events for its membership.
- Members of the W4 are “windows” to their organisations. They not only represent themselves, but their
organisations as a whole.
- Members create opportunities for knowledge sharing and collaboration.
- W4’s goal is to create “networks within networks” and a “web” of international
knowledge in the field of real property and workplace.
- W4 will share best practices and lessons learned in areas of common interest.
- W4 is about innovation and sharing new knowledge.
- W4 will encourage and support international sharing through collaborative research and partnerships on specific
initiatives and projects.
- W4 will build links with research facilities and academia.
- W4 is a community for future leaders.
- W4 promotes the attitudes, capabilities and culture that enable its membership to explore new ideas and ways
of approaching problems and arriving at solutions to support their organisation’s mandates.
- W4 recognizes the need for advice and support from senior management, but also values its ability to
manage its own direction and development.
Governance
Structure
W4 is self-governing but supported by The Workplace Network TWN. W4 does not have a formal secretariat and sees the
lack of bureaucracy as a strength and a virtue. W4 is run by its members for its members, guided by a voluntary
Guidance Committee and supported by superiors in TWN.
There are therefore three levels of responsibility in W4, Members, the W4 Guidance Committee and TWN
W4 Members
W4 is a network of members. Members are nominated by their TWN superiors according to criteria designed to reinforce
W4’s guiding principles and help ensure that it meets its objectives for the benefit of all members. W4 members are
people who are:
- Involved in a public sector workplace or real property management business in a senior or middle management role
- Have the potential to progress their career in this field to a more senior level
- Have a good knowledge of their own organisation's mission, goals and business objectives, and should be tactful and sensitive to cultural diversity
- Have, or have the ability to develop, a broad perspective of the strategic role of workplace and real property
within public sector policy and service delivery objectives
- Are committed to personal development, learning and sharing knowledge with others, and who have shown commitment
to contributing to the development of colleagues
and who
- Participate in the W4 network by contributing to Learning Partnerships, by sharing knowledge through the website,
by attending the annual meeting or conference, or through other suitable contributions.
Each year the host for the W4 annual meeting should validate the W4 membership by asking members to confirm their
continued interest in W4 and compliance with the criteria. Where a member does not respond his or her TWN superior should
be asked to confirm whether the person meets the criteria for continued membership. The host organisation will liaise with
the web hosts to update the website members list. This would be an opportunity to encourage members to update their web
profiles.
The W4 Guidance Committee
The W4 Guidance Committee is a self-nominated voluntary group of around six experienced W4 members, together with a
representative of the current W4 annual meeting host country and a liaison representative of TWN. After two or three
years members of this Committee would be expected to stand down to make way for others. It is envisaged that new and
replacement Committee members would be recruited informally at the W4 annual meeting, but any member who feels
themselves able to contribute effectively would be free to volunteer.
The role of the Guidance Committee is to steer the development of W4 in line with its vision and objectives in the
interests of members, principally by:
- Providing an interface with TWN, including nominating a representative to take part in the mid-year TWN conference call
- Advising host countries on the organisation of the W4 annual meeting or conference and passing on experience and lessons learned
- Introducing themselves to W4 members at the annual meeting, explaining their role and actively encouraging participation
- Monitoring progress of Learning Partnerships
- From time to time re-validating the major issues of interest to members
- Managing W4’s relationship with the managers of the W4 website
- Steering development of the W4 website
- Steering developments in W4 governance structures and membership criteria
The role of TWN in W4
TWN members set up W4 and supported it directly through its formative years. W4 is now self-governing, but has strong
links with TWN. TWN supports W4 by nominating and resourcing suitable W4 members, and each year a TWN member country
hosts the annual W4 meeting or conference. TWN members are expected to support their W4 members by:
- Creating a climate where participation in the W4 network is prized and valued by members of the organisation
- Nominating suitable W4 members at the appropriate time
- Encouraging and supporting nominees by providing enough time for effective participation
- Building W4 participation into a nominee’s job description, personal development plan and performance appraisal
- Providing a combination of continuity and renewal through appropriate nominations
One member of TWN currently hosts the W4 website and provides a liaison member to participate in the W4 Guidance Commitee as part of its contribution and support for TWN and W4.
W4 Enablers
The W4 Website
The W4 website is funded, supported and maintained by PWGSC British Columbia as part of its support for TWN and W4. The
website is the communication vehicle for all W4 communications, knowledge exchange and collaboration. It provides all
information and bookings for the annual W4 meeting or conference, and is the repository for W4’s collective knowledge
resource built up through successive meetings, conferences and Learning Partnerships activities.
The W4 Annual Meeting or Conference
Each year one or more W4 member organisations host the annual meeting. Hosting is voluntary and supported by
collaboration of TWN and W4. The host organisation is responsible for the funding, logistics and program for the
event, and for ensuring that the W4 website is updated to allow members who are unable to attend the meeting to
participate through colleagues and to benefit from the shared learning and presentations at the meeting. The W4
Guidance committee are available to advise and support the host if required.
The purpose of the annual meeting is to build the network by bringing together a group of like-minded people who,
through meeting and spending time together, are familiar with each other’s work, feel comfortable in the free exchange
and discussion of ideas and solutions, and who will carry forward these relationships to form the strong community of
interest that is key to the success of the W4 network. The annual meeting also provides the forum for extending knowledge
by hearing presentations by leading figures at the cutting edge of innovation (some of whom may be W4 members themselves)
and by visiting exemplary workplaces and property in the host country.
A few standard elements have been developed through experience and are known to work:
- The meeting should last for one week from Sunday evening to Friday evening
- Delegate numbers should be limited to a maximum of 40 people
- Costs should be minimised to allow member organisations to send both experienced and new delegates
- The program should have a relevant central theme
- The program should extend the knowledge and understanding of delegates in the field of workplace and real property,
support their personal development as future leaders and support formation of a strong network
- Delegates should come prepared having completed a pre-conference assignment
- The event should mix formal presentations and visits, formal and informal interactive knowledge sharing, social bonding elements and free time
- The event should be intellectually challenging and optional free time refreshment through exercise such as bike riding, kayaking and rollerskating
has proved a popular counterpoint
- Delegates benefit from the opportunity to meet one another informally on Sunday evening before the start of business on Monday
- The meeting should feature at least one excursion by boat!
Bridget Hardy
W4 Interim Guidance Committee
Office of Government Commerce
2 April 2005
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