Imagine ... you’re sitting at your desk, coffee in hand, when the news breaks: the company is making cuts. Budgets are shrinking, “efficiency measures” are on the way, and everyone’s trying to look busy without looking panicked. You hear whispers in the break room — “Apparently AI can do most of what marketing’s doing now” … “They’ve outsourced that department entirely” … “They’re keeping the ones they can’t afford to lose.”
It’s not a film script. It’s reality for a lot of people right now. And here’s the hard truth: in times of economic struggle, companies will cut costs, and they will start with roles that are easiest to replace — whether by another person who’ll do it for less, or by an algorithm that never asks for a pay rise.
The question you have to ask yourself is: If my job were on the line tomorrow, would they fight to keep me?
This isn’t about working yourself into exhaustion or becoming some robotic ‘yes person’. It’s about making yourself genuinely invaluable — someone who brings more to the table than just their job description, someone the company sees as a linchpin, not just a headcount.
Let’s break down exactly how you do that.
1. Understand the difference between important and irreplaceable
A lot of people confuse being busy with being indispensable. Answering 200 emails a day might make you feel important, but if anyone with a keyboard and a pulse could do it, it’s not making you irreplaceable.
What companies value most — especially in uncertain times — is unique contribution. This could be deep technical knowledge, exceptional problem-solving skills, or a rare ability to connect dots across departments.
Example:
Silvia, worked in customer service for a software company. On paper, her role was replaceable — lots of people could answer customer queries. But Silvia noticed that engineers rarely spoke directly with customers, and there was often a gap between what customers asked for and what the tech team built. She started summarising customer feedback in a way that made sense to the engineers and even suggested small tweaks to the product. Suddenly, she wasn’t “just” in customer service — she was the bridge between customers and the product team. When redundancies came, she stayed. Others didn’t.
2. Anticipate needs before anyone asks
Being proactive is one of the fastest ways to make yourself stand out. Most employees wait until they’re told what to do; invaluable employees see the need and act before instructions arrive.
This shows not just competence, but strategic thinking — the very thing AI still struggles with in nuanced, human contexts.
Example:
During the pandemic, one office manager for example realised that hybrid working was here to stay. Before senior management even discussed long-term plans, she researched desk-booking software, trialled it with a small group, and presented a proposal. It wasn’t her “job” to plan the post-COVID office, but because she’d already solved a problem no one had yet articulated, she became part of the company’s core decision-making group.
3. Build cross-functional skills
If you only know your own role, you’re easy to pigeonhole. If you understand how your work fits into the whole system, you’re far harder to replace.
Learn enough about other departments to speak their language. Marketing, finance, operations, IT — they all have different priorities, and if you can translate between them, you become the glue that holds things together.
Example:
One of the most valuable people in a well-known company in my city wasn’t a manager — he was an assistant buyer. But he took the time to learn about stock logistics, marketing campaigns, and even the finance department’s budgeting process. Because he could see the big picture, he became the go-to person for troubleshooting store issues. AI could automate parts of buying, but not his ability to navigate multiple systems and people in real time.
4. Develop expertise no one else has
If you’re the only one who can do something essential, you’re in a strong position. That could be a rare technical skill, a deep understanding of a niche market, or even a key relationship with a major client.
But here’s the catch: it’s not about hoarding knowledge. It’s about being the go-to expert because you keep learning, innovating, and sharing your expertise in ways that make you the obvious choice for big projects.
Example:
A colleague of mine became the “Excel wizard" in her office. At first, it was just a quirky nickname — she could make complex spreadsheets do exactly what she wanted. But then she went further, automating reports that used to take hours, creating dashboards for executives, and training others on how to use them. The company could have bought new software, but they didn’t need to — because she already made their existing tools sing.
5. Strengthen your emotional intelligence
Here’s where humans have a huge advantage over AI: empathy, persuasion, conflict resolution. Being able to read the room, manage tricky personalities, and keep morale up during tough times is priceless.
People remember how you make them feel. If you’re someone who can calm a client, smooth over a team dispute, or help a stressed colleague get back on track, you’re contributing in a way that’s difficult to replicate with technology.
Example:
In one company I worked for in Italy, the top performer wasn’t the person with the highest revenue numbers — it was the person who kept clients and colleagues happy. She handled angry calls with grace, mentored new hires without being asked, and spotted burnout signs in teammates before they became serious. When the company restructured, her role technically didn’t exist anymore — but they created a new one just to keep her.
6. Become a problem-solver, not a problem-pointer
It’s easy to say, “We’ve got an issue here.” It’s harder - and more valuable - to say, “Here’s the issue, and here’s my suggested solution.”
Problem-solvers reduce the workload of decision-makers. And in any organisation, the people who reduce friction get noticed and kept.
Example:
A friend in the hospitality industry saw that a hotel’s guest check-in process was too slow. Instead of just complaining, she mapped the process, identified bottlenecks, and proposed a new system. Management approved it, guest reviews improved, and her initiative was mentioned in her performance review as a key reason she was retained when hours were cut.
7. Be visible - but in the right way
Doing excellent work in silence is noble, but it’s risky if decision-makers don’t know you’re the one behind the results. Being irreplaceable requires strategic visibility.
This doesn’t mean bragging — it means sharing progress, offering updates, and taking credit as part of a team while making your role clear.
Example:
In a tech startup, a developer named Sam fixed a major system outage in record time. Normally, he would have just moved on. But this time, he wrote a short, clear post-mortem report, explaining how he diagnosed and solved the problem, and shared it in the company Slack. His boss forwarded it to the leadership team. When redundancies came months later, Sam wasn’t even considered for the list — everyone knew exactly how critical he was.
8. Keep learning — especially the skills AI can’t do well
AI is here to stay, and in many cases, it will replace tasks. But it’s not yet brilliant at nuanced human judgement, complex creativity, or building deep trust.
Upskill in areas like strategic thinking, negotiation, creative problem-solving, and interpersonal communication. Combine those with your technical skills, and you’ve got a competitive edge.
Example:
When AI writing tools became mainstream, a copywriter I know didn’t panic. Instead, she learned how to use them for first drafts and research, freeing her to focus on brand storytelling, tone, and emotional resonance. Her clients realised she could produce more high-quality content in less time, so her value increased instead of shrinking.
9. Own your results — and your mistakes
Accountability is rare and valuable. When you own your wins and losses, people trust you. And trust is one of the strongest shields against redundancy.
Example:
A marketing manager made an expensive error with an ad campaign. Instead of shifting blame, she explained what went wrong, how she was fixing it, and what safeguards she was putting in place. Management kept her on, partly because they knew she’d learned from it — but also because she had the integrity to be transparent.
10. Build relationships beyond your immediate team
If only your manager knows your value, you’re vulnerable if they leave or your department restructures. If multiple people across the company know you and rate your work, you have allies when decisions are made.
This doesn’t mean endless networking events — it can be as simple as collaborating across teams, volunteering for cross-department projects, or even just taking the time to understand other people’s challenges.
Example:
An analyst in a financial firm regularly shared quick data insights with other teams when he spotted something relevant to them. Over time, people from marketing, sales, and product started reaching out to him directly for advice. When layoffs hit his department, three separate directors from other areas pushed for him to stay — and he did.
The mindset shift: from “employee” to “partner”
The real key to being irreplaceable is thinking like a partner in the company’s success, not just someone doing a job. Partners look for opportunities, solve problems, and take ownership. They ask themselves:
How is the company making money, and how can I help it make more?
Where are we losing money, and how can I help stop that?
What do our customers or clients really need, and how can I help deliver it?
If you can consistently answer those questions and act on them, you’re no longer just a cost on a spreadsheet — you’re an asset the company can’t afford to lose.
The “Am I Irreplaceable?” Checklist
Tick the box if you can honestly say “yes” to each statement:
Unique Value
☐ I bring at least one skill, knowledge area, or perspective that’s rare in my workplace.
☐ I’ve developed expertise in something others regularly seek me out for.
Proactive Thinking
☐ I anticipate needs and take action before I’m asked.
☐ I regularly identify problems and offer solutions, not just point them out.
Cross-Functional Awareness
☐ I understand how my work affects other departments.
☐ I can “translate” between different teams and priorities.
Relationship Strength
☐ I have strong working relationships outside my immediate team.
☐ More than one person in leadership knows my value and contributions.
Emotional Intelligence
☐ I can handle difficult conversations or clients calmly and productively.
☐ I support colleagues and contribute to a positive team culture.
Visibility
☐ Decision-makers are aware of my results and the impact of my work.
☐ I share successes and learnings in a way that benefits the team.
Continuous Learning
☐ I’m actively building skills that AI and automation can’t easily replace.
☐ I adapt quickly to new tools, processes, or challenges.
If you’ve ticked most boxes: You’re probably already in a strong position — keep reinforcing your value and relationships.
If you’ve missed several: Prioritise those areas — they’re where you’re most vulnerable if cuts come.
A final word
In tough economic times, some people retreat into “I’ll just keep my head down and hope for the best.” But hope is not a strategy.
The ones who keep their jobs — and often even get promoted — are those who make themselves irreplaceable by:
Offering something unique
Seeing the bigger picture
Solving problems proactively
Building strong relationships
Continuously learning and adapting
AI will keep getting better. Processes will keep getting automated. But human initiative, creativity, empathy, and adaptability are still the rarest and most valuable commodities in any workplace.
So next time you’re at your desk, ask yourself: If the company had to choose between keeping me or losing me, would it be an easy choice for them?
And if you’re not sure of the answer — start changing that today.
If you know someone who might find this helpful, don’t keep it to yourself—please share it.
You never know how much of a difference it could make in someone’s life.
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