A barista at the Monarch cafe in Kansas City looks into the camera
In Kansas City, service workers are among the most vulnerable. This film still is of a barista at Monarch, a cafe in Kansas City. (Courtesy: Robert Bingaman)

curiousKC | Questions About the Future of Work? Write to our Journalists.

August 9, 2021  |  Vicky Diaz-Camacho  |  1 min read

Work as we once knew it has changed, perhaps forever, by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Since mid-2020, operations, schedules and strategies were forced to be more nimble, adopting remote-work models to keep employees safe. 

That wasn’t the case for every industry, however, with restaurants and event venues struggling to stay afloat, many have since gone under. That raises many questions, so now we turn to you, readers. 

We’re accepting questions like, “Will companies adopt a hybrid working schedule?” or “Are vaccines going to be required to work in-office?” or “Will some companies in KC forgo having a brick-and-mortar office?”

What questions have bubbled up during the pandemic about the future of work? Our team of journalists is ready to work with you to find the answers as part of curiousKC, our public engagement journalism effort. 

Here, your voice and your concerns are prioritized. So, write to us below. We’ll be reaching out soon if we begin reporting on your query. 

Have other questions or tips? Email community reporter Vicky Diaz-Camacho at vdiaz-camacho@kansascitypbs.org.  


Error: Embedded data could not be displayed.

Reading these stories is free, but telling them is not. Start your monthly gift now to support Flatland’s community-focused reporting.

Nick’s Picks | Messi, Jail, Buses, and More …

June 1, 2026

World Cup Team(s) Arrive It’s starting to feel real. The first World Cup team has landed in Kansas City. Defending champions Argentina touched down at KCI airport on Sunday and will begin practicing today at Sporting KC’s training facility in Wyandotte County. Much of the attention, of course, is focused on Lionel Messi. The soccer…

Related Stories

A crowd surrounds Kim Riley, parent and founder of the Transition Academy. For the past several years, her focus has been to build a network that better assists families whose children have developmental or intellectual disabilities find meaningful careers.

curiousKC | Submit Questions About Disability Resources in KC 

"Will my child with disabilities find a job they enjoy?" Submit questions like this on access to disability resources to our curiousKC reporting team.

Read More >
Tony Quiroga is a Kansas City veteran and former ice plant worker. His family's story is one of a handful about a small Mexican community nestled between the 42nd Street bridge and main rail line. (Ji Stribling | Flatland)

curiousKC | How Mexican Communities Kept KC Boxcars Cold

This is the story of "La Hielera" aka "The Ice Plant," the tiny Mexican community nestled behind the 42nd Street Bridge and Santa Fe Railroad main line.

Read More >
Viles of the new COVID-19 booster shot.

curiousKC | Here’s How to Stay Healthy These Days, Say KC Health Leaders

Here's what local health care experts and public health researchers want you to know about COVID-19 right now.

Read More >