Some Canadian employers are getting nervous as economic woes south of the border have a direct impact here -- and that could mean your job is in jeopardy.

As a result, a Canadian employment lawyer says it's time for Canadians to buckle down and make themselves as indispensable as possible, or risk ending up on the chopping block.

"Forty per cent of the participants we surveyed said they were planning terminations in the next two quarters that were directly linked to economy," said Christine Thomlinson, a partner with Rubin Thomlinson LLP, which conducted the new survey Termination in Tough Times.

During an appearance on CTV's Canada AM she offered up a list of suggestions to help employees stay employed.

Make yourself stand out by taking initiative:

Become invaluable. Do more, don't complain, and offer to take on new tasks and responsibilities that will make your boss realize you are an important part of the team.

"Remember, this is the time employers are struggling and this is the time they're going to need to do more with less," Thomlinson said.

"If you can take on, and better yet seek out, additional responsibilities, you're going to stand out."

Broaden your skill-set:

By taking a course or gaining a new certification you can boost your value to an employer. Many of those surveyed said their biggest concern was terminating skilled workers and being unable to replace them.

So the more an employee can offer their bosses, the better, Thomlinson said.

"Bear in mind, training budgets may be down," she said. "Really distinguishing yourself, in fact, would be going outside of your employment to get those additional skills, and then letting them know."

Remember, poor performers are the first to go. Don't be one!

"Think about that last performance review. Maybe you were in denial then but it's time to take off those rose-coloured glasses and really start to look at how you can improve," Thomlinson said.

That might even require having an objective third party take a look at your last performance review and offer insights, she said.

And once improvements have been made, don't be afraid to "toot your own horn" and make sure your employer notices, Thomlinson said.

Be a peacemaker and foster relationships around the office

"One of the things we often hear is how much conflict there is in times of struggle. If you can be the one that's the even keel, keeping things calm and getting along with people in tough times, you're really going to set yourself apart."

If all else fails and the pink slip does arrive, those efforts won't be wasted, Thomlinson said. She suggested that successful office networking is one of the most valuable tools for finding new employment opportunities.