Starbucks to pay for staff housing in China

Starbucks will be subsidising the housing costs of thousands of its Chinese workforce, The Seattle Times reports.

Typically, industrial companies in China will build vast dormitories for those moving from the countryside for employment. Kristi Heim, President of the Washington State China Relations Council, told The Seattle Times “[the practice] has been expected in China, especially for non-married workers.”

The program is only available to full-time members of staff, which is approximately 7,000 of its 30,000 Chinese workforce - 3,000 more will be eligible in the near future – and is not restricted to those migrating for work.

The potential amount spent per employee, and total cost, wasn’t divulged, with the figure differing from city to city and “situation to situation.” Some members of staff could get “well more” than half the cost of their housing, the coffee firm said.