Employee Resilience of Moroccan MSMEs in the face of crisis: Exploratory Analysis of Human Resource Management Practices

Abstract

Micro, small and medium enterprises are vital to the Moroccan economy : In 2018, SME constituted more than 90% of the total number of operating businesses. (HCP, 2019)

However, despite their significant contribution to economic growth, their development has been constrained by challenges particularly the covid-19 crisis. Some of them have been capable to survive and adapt. In this context, organizational resilience is seen as one of the possible innovative solutions for surviving in a dynamic context and periods of great turbulence.

This paper aims to better understand how MSME leaders manage to survive in a turbulent environment. In other words, it investigates how they mobilize resources and skills and deploy dynamic capabilities to develop effective and sustainable practices.

Our exploratory research was conducted on June - July 2024. The interviews took place through phone calls with managers of micro, small and medium moroccan companies.The data were then subjected to thematic analysis in accordance with the recommendations of (Braun & Clarke, 2006).

The results from this exploratory qualitative research are intended to give a general overview of human resource management in some Moroccan SMEs analyzing their structure, their Human resources and their HR practices, etc.

One of the main conclusions drawn from our research is that employee resilience in Morocco is increasingly recognized as having a positive effect on several aspects of the business. Managers interviewed also point out that certain HRM practices play a central role in employee resilience. However, other practices remain neglected by managers in these companies.