{
  "id": 5578557,
  "title": "Lower salaries resulting in weaker training models, finds report",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/04/lower-salaries-resulting-in-weaker-training-models-finds-report",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-09-04T14:53:36.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Silicon Republic",
    "slug": "silicon-republic",
    "url": "https://www.siliconrepublic.com/careers/lower-salaries-resulting-weaker-training-models-report-survey-compensation"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A recent report by the Iris Software Group reveals that lower salaries are causing weaker training models, as more established employees in the UK are reluctant to train less experienced peers who are paid similar wages. This issue has become particularly salient in the wake of the rapid evolution of workplaces due to AI and automation, which have increased the expectations placed on professionals. In the research, 511 senior HR professionals and 500 UK employees with at least two years of full-time experience participated, revealing that over 70% of young professionals aged 25-29 feel disenchanted by the expectation to train and support junior colleagues on similar pay.\n\nIn cases where a young professional discovered their co-worker's salary, 24% reported it was the same, with 39% indicating it was £1,000 or less, and only 16% stating it was between £1,000 and £3,000 less. Out of those, nearly one-sixth learned the newcomers were being paid more than they were. Stephanie Coward, Iris's managing director for HCM, explained that such frustration is understandable, as young professionals are taking on greater responsibilities and training the next generation but receiving no increase in pay. However, 49% of HR leaders surveyed believed that the pay compression problem is not likely to improve and could even worsen, with 50% expecting salary bands to narrow further in the next two years.\n\nThe report indicates that HR leaders are concerned about losing loyalty from young professionals who feel undervalued and underpaid compared to their new counterparts. However, only 20% of these leaders have plans to address the issue through targeted salary adjustments. Coward emphasized that most companies cannot solve the problem with blanket pay increases, and they must instead identify where compression is occurring and how it may lead to losing valuable employees. While a quarter of HR professionals admitted that their current HR systems cannot compare pay with changes in employees' skills and responsibilities, Coward stressed that understanding where compression is happening is critical, as losing an experienced employee, recruiting a replacement, and rebuilding their knowledge can be more costly than providing a targeted salary increase.",
  "summary": "The Iris Software Group’s research explored how more established employees are unwilling to train up less experienced peers who are on a similar salary. Read more: Lower salaries resulting in weaker training models, finds report",
  "key_points": [
    "Lower salaries cause weaker training models, per Iris Software Group report",
    "70% of young professionals feel disenchanted by training expectations",
    "Only 16% believe salary difference is £1,000 to £3,000 or more"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}