Why You’re Less Likely to Get Fired (Congratulations, You’re Expensive)

If the job market has felt like a stress spiral lately, here’s a rare piece of good news: you are now financially inconvenient to replace. And that works in your favour.

According to a new report, about 50% of hiring managers expect employee turnover to rise in 2026, which is a big jump from last year (39%) and even bigger compared to two years ago (33%).

Translation: bosses are bracing themselves for people quitting, job-hopping, or emotionally checking out while still showing up on Zoom.

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And here’s the key part. Losing an employee is getting wildly expensive.

The average cost of replacing a worker has climbed past $45,200, up from $36,700 last year. That’s recruitment, training, lost productivity, and the emotional toll of everyone asking, “Wait… who used to do that?”

Suddenly, keeping you around feels like the budget-friendly option.

Turnover anxiety is especially high at bigger companies. About 64% of organizations with 500 or more employees expect turnover to increase, while smaller businesses are slightly less panicked, mostly because they can still see everyone’s faces and know who stole the office mug.

So why are people more likely to leave? The reasons read like a greatest hits album:

• Increased workplace demands
• A competitive job market
• Better pay and benefits elsewhere
• Career switching
• General existential questioning, usually around Sunday night

The takeaway? Employers are increasingly aware that firing people isn’t just dramatic, it’s expensive. So if you’ve been quietly doing your job, meeting expectations, and not actively setting anything on fire, you may be safer than you think.

In 2026, job security isn’t about loyalty. It’s about spreadsheets. And right now, you’re a line item they really don’t want to replace.