The case for retaining skilled people begins with the difference between a legal minimum wage and enough income to live on. A wage floor can protect workers whose pay is set at a fixed margin above it, but employers still compete for their services. In this 2023 argument, paying full-time workers so little that they depend on food banks shifts part of their upkeep onto charities and weakens their contribution to public revenue. The criticism concerns the employment system, with no objection to people using food banks when they need them. Training and experience also make employees an investment for the organization. The same reasoning applies to navies: well-drilled, experienced personnel improve capability, and a service will struggle to keep them if they cannot support themselves and their families.
Notable Point · 3:36:27-3:41:16
Pay and the retention of experienced personnel
Adequate pay supports the retention of trained people and avoids shifting the costs of low wages onto families, charities, and public services.