Hard workplace reality: The heightened pandemic-era surveillance that workers thought was temporary is showing signs of longevity.

Why it matters: The pandemic popularized surveillance and data collection as America's workforce rapidly pivoted to remote work.

The role of charting the future of work and workplaces is no longer just the purview of the chief executive officer or the chief technology officer — it's also front-and-center for the chief people officer.

Why it matters: The human resources department is vaulting in importance as companies grapple with return-to-work plans and the war for talent is won on corporate values and culture.

Half of U.S. Latinos feel their workplace does not have a nurturing environment for diverse professionals, even as a majority think their office leaders do consider inclusion to be important, per a poll carried out by YouGov and LinkedIn.

By the numbers: The survey found that 37% of Latino professionals said they are considering leaving their jobs because of lack of recognition, of opportunities and of leaders with shared experiences who can offer mentorship.

Companies are narrowing the blue- and white-collar experience as they're forced to adapt to a worker-led market.

Driving the news: Basic office tools and concepts like corporate communications and schedule flexibility are migrating to frontline operations through investments in technology.

The decades-long building boom that remade Washington D.C. is screeching to a halt, undone by broader construction trends and the legacy of the post-pandemic workplace.

Why it matters: Dizzying construction has reshaped the city, reinvigorated downtown and created bustling new communities. 

Restaurant awards — usually a celebration of excess — are suddenly a salute to survival.

• This year's RAMMY Awards, from the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington, were grounded in adversity and disruption, rather than luxury or decadence.

The new COVID-inspired categories highlight how the pandemic's existential threat forever changed the industry.

• "Chef of the year" was ditched for more inclusive categories.

The average American's workweek has gotten 10% longer during the pandemic, according to a new Microsoft study published in Nature Human Behaviour.

Why it matters: These longer hours are a key part of the pandemic-induced crisis of burnout at U.S. firms — and workers are quitting in droves.

Income-sharing agreements (ISAs) were hatched more than 60 years ago by Milton Friedman, but the financing instrument is still trying to establish its legitimacy.

Why it matters: ISAs, which let borrowers get cash upfront and repay it later via a portion of their future earnings, have been hailed as a solution to the college debt crisis.

States that ended federal unemployment benefits earlier this summer saw August job growth at less than half the rate of states that retained the benefits, according to new data released Friday by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Why it matters: Leaders in the largely Republican-led states had insisted that the benefits were discouraging people from work, and ended the assistance program early ahead of its planned expiration on Sept. 6.

Workers increasingly want their companies to think bigger than profits and speak up on social issues — and it's younger employees driving the trend.

The big picture: As the next generation enters the workforce, companies will have to devote even more time and resources to tackling issues like systemic racism, income inequality and climate change.