With how incentives are given, I doubt changes to accommodate this from not happening would be adapted to pop culture. To get more salary, you need promotion and more responsibility. People want more money for their work but can be resistant to more work/responsibility which may not get them to be good at their role. It's difficult to explain why a low level position gets paid more than the managerial position set above that worker in question so by the wills of tradition, we just promote and see what happens.