Contrary to popular belief, this career is generally a way to pay the bills and maintain the best possible work/life balance.
If one gets more time at home on equal or more money as an SO, then common sense would tell them to stay in that position.
The problem is the airlines aren't appropriately directing wages and abusing short haul crew by working them to the point of cronic fatigue.
This comes from someone who bid from the right seat to the back seat in the "other downunder". Nothing to do with the airline "recruiting the wrong person", everything to do with the airline not distributing workloads.