COVID-19 Impacts on the food Industry in Moroccan
Along with the substantial effect on health systems, the COVID-19 problem may have had a change
in Consumer purchasing habits and culinary interactions significantly. more to the point, an increase
in consumption of local foods as a result of food safety concerns; an increase in online grocery
shopping; an increase in panic purchasing and food stockpiling; and an increase in cooking
ability.(OECD,2022). The COVID-19 is today one of humanity's most pressing problems, and it has
affected the global operation of agricultural and food systems, as well as the food security of millions
of people throughout the world. Even if Morocco has not yet suffered the full impact of the pandemic
on its economy, the projected drop in European markets will be felt locally shortly. The amount of
maturity of a food safety system in existence is clearly the major trigger in assessing organisations
and their reactions to the pandemic issue. As a result, Companies acknowledged the deployment of
more stringent hygiene practises during the pandemic, as well as the requirement for extra personal
protective equipment.(Djekic et al., 2022) Despite the food sector's ability to meet a big portion of
national demand at steady prices, harvest in 2020 was much lower. Harvested wheat and barley were
around 40% and 45 percent lower than in 2019, correspondingly, whole grain production was 60%
lower than the most recent five-year average.(OECD,2021) ManyFirms have experienced several forms
of supply shocks. Firms lose access to the human capital they use to generate products and services as
the epidemic and lockdown measures limit workers' capacity to be physically present at their
employment. This causes a first supply shock, which diminishes enterprises' productive capacity and
is exacerbated by the fact that the pandemic impacts both domestic and foreign supply networks.(PaulDelvaux et al., 2020)
According to Mohamed Amekraz, Minister of Employment and Professional Integration, 113,000
businesses have ceased operations. The Minister additionally stated that over 700,000 employees were
unable to work or have been laid off as a result, despite the fact that the government has established a
deadline for filing for unemployment benefits.(Chtatou, 2020)
Furthermore, following the implementation of a nationwide lockdown in March, the government
promised stipends to any workers who lost employment or working hours as a result of the virus.
Employees in the official sector would earn $220 per month, while those in the informal sector would
receive between $90 to 134 per month, depending on the family size.
Hybrid Workplace
In the digital realm, relying solely on contemporaneous interactions is neither efficient nor productive.
The hybrid workplace model makes it so that 50-100 colleagues and clients are contacting you on a
daily basis, over the phone, text, email or video call. Leaders must assist their employees in rethinking
their communication methods. employees should not communicate automatically; they should make a
deliberate adjustment on asynchronous communication to boost motivation and productivity.(Thomas,
2021) Employees favour a hybrid model 83% more than they do in-office or remote alone, thus this is
an important component of improving the employee experience. Moreover, as employees shift into
hybrids there is a huge effort on their side as to not only maintain but grow in productivity. This is
where employers should be able to facilitate feedback, communication, and growth so that the
employees do not feel marginalised, and can operate with a purpose. The issues that employees worry
about as it may create a glass sealing for them are: if they are out of sight then they are out of mind,
how can their performance be measured if they are not in front of the employers, and if there's a
consistent standard where everyone is given equal opportunities.(Bär and Bär, 2021) This is not to
undermine the clear benefits of working hybrid, as it gives employees more flexibility, it reduces
operation cost, and improves productivity. However, there should be sets of rules set as to keep the
employees and employers satisfied with the job. First, there should be an effort on all levels to foster
relationships and keep in touch with one another. Then, there is the onus on the leader to reach out to
employees to understand what each employee has to provide to the company, as well as understand
their personal situation in order to have a more empathetic and encouraging workplace. Lastly, since
hybrid is new, employers need to be understanding that there is a margin of error as everyone is still
adjusting to it, and even after they are settled in, mistakes may happen which does not diminish the
capabilities of the employees. (DiPietro, 2021)
Additionally to all of this, to help adjunct to the hybrid model, employees need to be focussed more
on quality rather than quantity. Meaning whether it took an employee an hour or all day to finish a
goal, it does not matter as long as it is done well. They should also create clear policies, on days at the
office, attendance, and making sure that employees have equipment at home. Employers need to have
weekly individual meetings with their employees to understand what they are doing, what they have
done, what their challenges and strengths are. Most importantly there needs to be clear measures to
make sure that everyone is included, and encouraged to do the best they can. (James Caldwell, 2021)
ADKAR MODEL OF CHANGE MANAGEMENT
McDonald's is the world's largest fast-food corporation, yet nothing could have prepared it for the
coronavirus outbreak.
● Awareness
There are several reasons why the sales rate would decrease, one of which is that their
consumers' lifestyles and requirements have shifted. People became too concerned with their
health as a result of the pandemic, which led them to Increased awareness about health and
food consumption and safety. This made Mcdonalds more aware of their target market's
lifestyle and evolving needs.(McDonalds Change Management Case Study, 2021)
● Desire
McDonald's management responded to changing consumer demands in a highly supportive manner,
and was effective in dealing with pushback from other staff members.
● Knowledge
McDonald's obtained knowledge of what precisely needs to be done to make it stable and running as it
became aware of the changes in consumer behaviour. Management concentrated on what needed to be
done in order to maintain and please consumers in the long run.
● Ability
McDonald’s ability to implement the change At the outset of the pandemic McDonald's,
quickly began demanding staff to follow health and safety rules such as mask-wearing and
advocating physical separation between crew members and customers wherever feasible.
● Reinforcement
McDonald's has been highly effective in reinforcing its workers to continually practice maintaining
their transformed image in the eyes of consumers. This was accomplished through positive
reinforcement and other staff perks.
Leadership
McDonald's leadership team in the United States relies on a strong heritage and set of principles that
have made the corporation a symbol of American business. Leadership is the process of motivating
others to complete their tasks. At McDonald's, leadership extends beyond the managers and is
expected to trickle down to each and every employee. This means everybody in McDonald's should
possess some level of leadership skills and work to assist other McDonald's employees in performing
their duties effectively. And to assist each employee in becoming a great employee. Because not every
employee is driven in the same way, McDonald's has realised that each section may require a different
form of incentive. Each business has its own set of goals, and each store may set goals for each
individual employee.Meaning the leadership style is transformational as they focus on vision and each
employee plays a part. It is about the delegation of leadership that runs on all levels. Managers revise
their objectives every six months. This helps to keep things interesting and new. It also encourages
people to look forward to accomplishing new things rather than coming to work every day bored with
the same aim.
McDonald's emphasises teamwork, which means that each employee's behaviours affect the other
members. There is also an ongoing discussion between managers and employees, which gives
employees the opportunity to talk to the leaders and express concerns, explain what they like about
their jobs, and sometimes even talk about their lives, families, and activities they enjoy doing outside
of work. Managers try to offer flexibility so that employees can work at times that best suit their
needs.This implies that employees are less anxious about finding time to work while still attempting
to accomplish other things, such as engaging in family life, or attending classes. This program assists
everyone who works at McDonald's in learning the skills required for success on the job. The
leadership model at McDonald's is based on theory z as the employees all share responsibility together
in order to help the company succeed. The higher ups of the company only work as a guiding tool to
the employees who take initiative in their work.
While officials from the ministries of finance, interior, and health have led the immediate response to
the crisis, government institutions such as ANAPEC, OFPPT, as well as non-governmental
organisations (NGOs), must step in and play a larger role in designing longer-term labor market
programs, as we will discuss in our next paper. In order to do so, businesses must integrate data and
monitoring systems capable of providing a continual stream of information regarding the
effectiveness of their initiatives.
Delivery service
As more individuals buy takeout and groceries during the coronavirus epidemic, delivery apps have
become increasingly vital for both business owners and their consumers.
Indeed, official attempts to minimise and slow the spread of the virus (e.g., lockdowns, movement
restrictions, shop closures) have had an impact on various manufacturing sectors and value chains,
disrupting international commerce.
Conclusion
Mcdonalds has recently focussed more on digitising their platforms, advancing the Mcdonald's app,
and creating delivery systems. Mcdonald’s leaders have been doing a good job at creating an
environment of growth, and the next normal should not be a worry for them. The company is also
shifting their strategy to be more inclusive for customers who eat specific diets. They have been
working on creating the McPlant menu which is a plant-based menu for their vegan or vegetarian
customers. The company has been ahead of the competition for a long time with their delicious fast
food and their notable promotions. Recently, they have even implemented collaborations with big
name artists to create burgers that will promote both sides. Such as the Travis Scott burger that
brought buzz on both Scott’s music and Mcdonald’s, the BTS menu which did the same thing (Russ,
2020). McDonalds has also implemented CSR strategies based on sustainability which is great for
them to help the planet while also profiting from good publicity. Mcdonlads has been minimising
waste in the way they package their foods, avoiding plastic waste at all cost, and preserving climate.
Their team is doing a great job at minimising damage and helping the environment. (DeBiase, 2020) as
opposed to other fast food chains. They need to continue on this track to help the planet and have a
competitive edge. Lastly, the company has been operating with a clear purpose for ages and it is clear
that employees at all level care about said vision, but it is important for the leaders to instil this
purpose in the brain of the workers, and make sure that they come in everyday knowing that they are
working for something great. Making sure the vision does not fade and is communicated openly to
every level of the company is important, as well as keeping open communication and creating an
environment where every opinion is taken into account.
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