The reality is rarely that simple. In tech, the pay for a 26 year old isn’t that much lower than a 50 year old... hell... sometimes it’s higher. In my case, four 110k millenials couldn’t do the job of my one 140k salary. Numbers didn’t benefit the company.
The reality is that second-rate managers prefer younger, less experienced people who are docile and obedient, and will put up with quite a lot of abuse. Having agreeable political opinions is important too.
Actual costs of operation, or even competence are much lesser considerations in staffing decisions.
True. Oh the stories I might tell....