| Title |
Keeping a sense of belonging at work: acquired disability and professional identity in a highly-skilled auto-mechanic |
| Authors |
Butkevičienė, Jurgita ; Ramanauskaitė, Joana |
| DOI |
10.4337/9781035361243.00020 |
| ISBN |
9781035361236 |
| eISBN |
9781035361243 |
| Full Text |
|
| Is Part of |
Diversity, equity, and inclusion in small and medium enterprises: concepts, cases, and managerial perspectives / edited by A. Šilenskytė, M. Fletcher, J. Butkevičienė, C. Jayton.. Cheltenham : Edward Elgar (EE) Publishing, 2026. p. 169-174.. ISBN 9781035361236. eISBN 9781035361243 |
| Keywords [eng] |
inclusion ; belonging ; professional identity ; acquired disability ; SME ; auto mechanic |
| Abstract [eng] |
This case explores a real-world situation at a small auto service enterprise in Germany after a long-serving auto mechanic suffers a stroke. Set in a skilled technical workplace where professional identity, pride, and belonging are closely tied to manual skill and embodied expertise, the case explores the tensions that arise when physical ability changes, but the person's sense of who they are at work remains the same. Given the limited resources of a small and medium-sized enterprise (SME), the company's owner–manager must decide how to support continued belonging at work without undermining the employee's professional identity or the organisation's operational viability when a valued employee experiences health problems. The case asks learners to examine how SME managers can respond when an employee acquires a disability that challenges their role performance and workplace participation; and to design realistic workplace adjustments that support inclusion, a sense of belonging, and fluent SME operations. |
| Published |
Cheltenham : Edward Elgar (EE) Publishing, 2026 |
| Type |
Book part |
| Language |
English |
| Publication date |
2026 |
| CC license |
|
