old workers assigned to office corner?

My previous trips to Japan for business made me wonder why elderly office workers, whom the company have very littlke need of, but are being kept due to their loyalty are assigned to office tables away from the rest - either at the cornersmost or by the window. What's the Japanese term used for this?

The term you are looking for is "madogiwa", which kind of means view from a window.

The practice is a form of private welfare for loyal employees. It was considered more decent than having such people put on public welfare. However, the practice is dying with activist stockholders getting more of a say in company affairs. It's all about moeny now.

It's "madogiwa-zoku" literally meaning "the window(mado)-side(giwa)-set(zoku)".

Btw, I suppose I should note that, probably as the OP intended to know, the term "madogiwazoku" is an insult more commonly used among madogiwazoku themselves to humble themselves. Of course, just because an older employee's desk is at the window-side, that doesn't necessarily mean he's truly a madogiwazoku.