Citigroup is spending £1bn to attract staff back to its Canary Wharf tower. Maybe it’d be easier to provide accommodation — it worked at Bournville after all
Oh, for fuck's sake. I started reading this thinking it was satire, and after it just kept going did I realize that this was serious, and not just some long-form ribbing.
That's what happened here. The mines gave apartments to the miners. The higher ups lived in better ones etc. Worked out well till the mines weren't profitable anymore
"No, no, no, it's not a company town... it's a company tower... which is completely different. By the way, did you meet Brian? He's the new manager of the convenience store the company opened in the lobby. It's right next to the company elementary school. You can use the company issued script to buy stuff there, it's great!"
Only if they're regulated. Or if salaried workers have any rights, since you could otherwise just conspire with other companies to push salaries down, ensuring "free" slaves collaborating individual entrepreneurs are cheaper
I get the dystopia but if a company gave me an apartment in the city along with family healthcare where they pay 100% of medical costs. I would take minimum wage.
To actually address the question, it's because commercial buildings don't (generally) meet residential building code requirements, even if there's a kitchenette and a shower, etc. They are simply not meant for the same purpose or to be occupied 24/7 unless they were engineered that way from the start, which is exceedingly rare. A lot of office buildings have floor-to-ceiling windows and complex HVAC systems simply to make sure people aren't cold, breathing stale air, or too humid/dry, so they also use a lot of energy.