When business is largely down...
After 15 years of growth and busyness within our companies UNIGLOBE Alliance Travel and goMICE, the thunderous train suddenly came to a near complete stop last year.
From February 2020, so much was coming at us within our organizations....! It was all hands on deck, thousands of business travelers and some 200 groups we had to recruit, or reschedule or in some cases even cancel. We worked with all our might to help everyone on time and tried to find the best solutions for all clients. According to our clients, we succeeded extremely well, which is nice. This frenzy lasted for about three months, the teams were running almost day and night and suddenly all the stranded travelers and groups had been brought back to the Netherlands and less and less work was coming in.
Positive developments
In addition to the concern around travelers, there was of course concern for our own people. We are proud to report that we were able to keep everyone on board and do alternative work together. We have therefore developed and already implemented new systems and concepts in the past year. There is still travel within Uniglobe Alliance Travel because there are companies that simply had to travel, think technicians, mechanics, offshore etc. etc. Moreover, within goMICE we have rapidly switched to the digital organization of events and meetings. Many clients have already taken advantage of this, but everyone yearns to meet each other live again and fortunately there is light in the tunnel.
Grateful work within the Red Cross
For me too, the train almost came to a complete stop and for the first time in my life I was suddenly not busy with all kinds of things. This was ok for a while, but at some point I thought I needed to do something with that extra time and I found it in two things. I have been trained by the Red Cross and will be volunteering about one day a week with this wonderful organization. For example, I will soon be supporting the Covid department within Erasmus MC and will be working within passenger transport for vulnerable and elderly people. The rides I will be providing vary from a ride to the hospital or to a vaccination location. Both very rewarding work and I am happy to be a part of the Red Cross and to do my contribution in a completely different way than before. I will certainly continue to report on my experiences in this new world.
Mediation Training
I also started the Mediation training in September 2020. For years I had been thinking about doing this training and I am glad I did. Meanwhile I can call myself MFN register Mediator after two exams. The training and study have not only given me a good distraction. I have also come to love the profession and everything that comes with it. On the one hand, the training has broadened my knowledge about conflict mediation and on the other hand, I do not exclude the possibility that in the future I might work a few hours a week as a mediator. But first I have to cram for the theory exam and then the live assessment.
Curious about stories surrounding my volunteer work and the mediation profession? Then keep the following blogs about this.
Travel Well
Anita van Maanen
Managing Director
