WASHINGTON (June 30, 2021) — Now that COVID-19 vaccination rates in the United States have gone way up, many employers are calling workers back to the office. However, surveys show that many employees enjoy working from home and do not want to go back to a long commute and crowded workplace. As more and more businesses open up, employees and employers alike will be grappling with a range of issues that include the rise of hybrid or telework agreements, employee burnout, the commercial real estate market, and productivity rates, as well as continuing COVID-19 safety precautions in workplaces across the U.S.
The George Washington University has leading experts available to discuss various aspects of returning to work after more than a year of working from home.
To schedule an interview with an expert, please contact GW Media Relations at gwmedia@gwu.edu or 202-994-6460.
James Bailey, a professor of management, is an expert on organizational and individual change; employee motivation, satisfaction and performance; and business ethics. Bailey can discuss general guidelines organizations should consider when returning to an office, as well as the effects of COVID-19 isolation on employee performance. He can also speak about the benefits of commuting and other topics related to returning to an office in a post pandemic world.
Herman Aguinis, chair of the Department of Management, is an expert on organizational behavior. He can discuss how organizations can prevent and combat employee burnout and the need for healthier workplaces as employees return to an office.
Sharon Hill is an associate professor of management. Her research focuses on organizational change, team dynamics, and virtual work arrangements where the use of technology replaces traditional face-to-face interaction. She can discuss hybrid work arrangements, how to improve communication among virtual employees, and how to empower collaboration among geographically dispersed teams.
Robert Valero, executive director of the GW Center for Real Estate and Urban Analysis, is an expert on commercial real estate. He can discuss traditional office spaces and whether there is a place for them in a post-COVID-19 world.
Larry Yu is a professor of hospitality management. He can discuss the future of work travel and business trips, including to industry and academic conferences.
George Solomon is a professor of management and director of the GW Center for Entrepreneurial Excellence. He can discuss how small businesses are preparing for a post-COVID-19 world.
Peter H. Meyers, a professor of law emeritus and former director of the GW Law Vaccine Injury Litigation Clinic, is an expert on vaccine injury litigation, compensation and requirements. He is available to discuss whether U.S. employers and colleges can require COVID-19 vaccines before individuals return to the office or to school.
Amanda Castel, a professor of epidemiology, is an expert on infectious diseases and can talk about COVID-19 precautions in the office and other settings. She has served as an epidemic intelligence service officer for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, spent over a decade working with local and state health departments, and is board certified in both pediatrics and preventive medicine/public health. She can also discuss safety precautions that workers should take before returning to a busy workplace.
Melissa Perry, chair of the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, can talk about workplace safety now and in the near future. Perry has conducted significant research on factors in occupational injury and disease and can discuss some of the steps employers should take to make the workplace safe and keep it that way. She can also discuss what workers can do to protect themselves.
David Michaels, an epidemiologist and professor of environmental and occupational health, is available to discuss how to keep U.S. workers and workplaces safe from COVID-19. Michaels, who is the former assistant secretary of labor for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, is an expert on protections for workers, especially those at high risk of exposure to the virus. He also served as a member of the Biden Transition COVID-19 Advisory Board.
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