The Chain Link Effect: Why Undervaluing ‘Simple’ Roles Costs You More Than You Think

I’ve noticed a pattern with business owners who struggle with their team, which might look like turnover in a role or a constant disappointment and resentment with someone (or many).

They diminish the value of the tasks that make up their role.

“There’s not much to do, it’s just data entry.” “They’re not actually doing much, they are just coordinating and checking on people.” “It’s pretty straightforward.”

This leads to not wanting to pay much, not allocating proper time to the role, or other behaviours that silently communicate “I don’t really value what you’re doing here…”

And then?

You’re completely blindsided when that person leaves or tells you they’re unhappy, and suddenly you realise the impact of them leaving is actually HUGE.

Here’s What You Need to Know

You can’t diminish the VALUE of ANY tasks being done in your business.

Because they all fit together like a chain.

And one link in that chain (regardless of how simple, obvious or easy it might appear to you) if it breaks or doesn’t get done, there is impact.

REAL IMPACT.

Let me explain what I mean.

The Real Cost of “It’s Just…”

When you use phrases like “it’s just data entry” or “they’re just coordinating,” you’re not simply describing a role, you’re actively devaluing it.

And here’s what happens when you devalue a role:

You underpay for the position. Because if it’s “not much work,” surely it doesn’t warrant competitive compensation, right? Wrong. The market (and quality candidates) will tell you otherwise.

You under-resource the role. You don’t allocate enough time, tools, or support because “it’s straightforward.” Then you wonder why things fall through the cracks.

You communicate low expectations. When you position a role as “simple,” you’re setting a ceiling on performance before the person even starts. They hear “this isn’t important” even if that’s not what you meant.

You create resentment. The person in that role can feel your dismissiveness. They know when their work isn’t valued, and it shows up in their engagement, their longevity, and their performance.

Why “Simple” Roles Have Massive Impact

Let me give you some real-world examples of what happens when these “simple” roles aren’t done well, or worse, when they leave:

The “just data entry” person who was actually the only one who truly understood your client database, knew which clients needed special attention, caught errors before they became problems, and maintained the integrity of your entire reporting system. When they leave, you discover you’ve been making business decisions based on their institutional knowledge, not your systems.

The “just coordinating” person who was the glue holding your team together, ensuring nothing slipped through the cracks, managing competing priorities, smoothing out communication breakdowns, and keeping projects on track. When they’re gone, you realise they were preventing fires rather than fighting them.

The “just admin support” person who anticipated your needs, managed your calendar strategically, handled the details that freed you up to focus on high-value work, and kept clients happy with their responsiveness. Without them, you’re back in the weeds, wondering where all your strategic thinking time disappeared to.

Do any of these sound familiar?

The Chain Link Principle

Here’s the truth that every successful business owner eventually learns:

Your business operates like a chain. Every role, every task, every responsibility is a link in that chain.

And here’s what matters about a chain: it doesn’t matter which link breaks. When any link fails, the entire chain fails.

The strength of your business isn’t determined by your strongest link (that’s probably you, let’s be honest). It’s determined by your weakest link.

When you diminish the value of a role, you’re essentially saying “this link doesn’t matter.” But when that link breaks, when that person leaves or disengages, you quickly discover just how much it mattered.

The Three Types of Impact You’re Missing

When you undervalue a role, you’re overlooking three critical types of impact:

1. Impact of it being done RIGHT

When someone does “simple” work with care, attention, and consistency, it creates a foundation everything else builds on. Data is accurate. Coordination happens smoothly. Communication flows. The business runs without friction.

2. Impact of someone overseeing it when it’s working smoothly

The person in this role isn’t just executing tasks, they’re maintaining the smooth operation. They’re the one noticing when something’s off, when a process could be improved, when a client needs extra attention. This preventative oversight is invisible when it’s working, but costly when it’s missing.

3. Impact of someone catching the potential cracks before they become breaks

This is perhaps the most overlooked value. The person in a “simple” role often spots problems early because they’re in the details every day. They catch the error before it reaches a client, notice the pattern before it becomes a trend, flag the issue before it becomes a crisis.

What to Do Instead

If you’ve recognised yourself in any of this (and most business owners do at some point), here’s what I want you to do:

Stop using dismissive language. Pay attention to how you talk about roles in your business. If you hear yourself saying “it’s just…” or “they’re only…” pause. Reframe it. What’s the actual value this role provides?

Properly resource every role. If a task is worth doing, it’s worth doing well. That means allocating appropriate time, providing proper tools, and compensating fairly. If you can’t do that, maybe the task shouldn’t be in your business at all.

Appreciate the invisible work. The coordination, the oversight, the catching of small issues before they become big ones. This work is often invisible until it’s gone. Make it visible. Acknowledge it. Value it.

Consider the replacement cost. Before you decide a role “isn’t worth much,” consider what it would cost you to replace that person. Not just the salary and recruitment costs, but the disruption, the lost knowledge, the mistakes that will happen during the transition, the impact on other team members. Suddenly, that role looks a lot more valuable, doesn’t it?

Here’s what I want you to notice

If you’re saying things like “it’s easy, it doesn’t take long, there’s not much to do”… just pause.

You are likely overlooking the impact, and a surprise “reality check” might be coming your way.

Check yourself.

Don’t diminish anyone or any role.

Place importance and appreciation everywhere.

Value every link in the chain.

This is what building performance and culture looks like.

The Bottom Line

Every role in your business exists for a reason. If it didn’t add value, you wouldn’t be paying for it.

The question isn’t whether a role has value, it’s whether you’re recognising and honouring that value.

When you start seeing every role as a critical link in your business chain, something shifts. You hire better. You manage better. You retain better. And your business runs better.

Because here’s the truth: there are no “small” roles in a small business. There are only essential roles that, when done well, allow you to build something remarkable.

So stop diminishing. Start valuing. Your team (and your business) will thank you for it.

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I work with female business owners at $1-3M who’ve somehow ended up more trapped than ever – working harder, less profitable, exhausted. With over 20 years as an entrepreneur plus expertise in HR, operations, and banking, I help them get strategic so they can finally trust their team, reclaim their time, and scale profitably.

Let’s have a chat about how you can transform your team culture and retain your best people, grow your profit and fall back in love with your business again.