Shelter in place: Tech execs, barking dogs, screaming kids

Jen Grant was a little more than two weeks into her new gig running software start-up Turbo Systems when she had to tell her 28 employees, split between Silicon Valley and India, that they’d be working from home because of the rapidly spreading COVID-19 coronavirus. On Monday night, government officicals instituted a shelter-in-place order for the Bay Area, which closed down all non-essential businesses and restricted people’s motion. Three days later, the rule was expanded to the entire state.

Suddenly, Grant wasn’t just at home all day on video calls but was joined by her husband, who works at Google, and their four children, ages 10 to 16. Everyone requires their own space: The children for their schooling that’s moved online, and the adults so they can keep business running. Their dog, Husky, also needs attention.

The six family members come together for meals. At lunchtime on Wednesday, Grant laid out cans of soup for everyone and made the kids heat up their own portions. Then it was back to work, which for Grant meant seeking out a quiet spot somewhere in her house.

“Sometimes I get to be in my office, and sometimes, when my son gets online and has a seminar, I’m down in the kitchen,” said Grant, who was previously the marketing chief at Looker, which Google acquired into its cloud business last year. “I’m the floater — wherever I can get a space.”

Grant lives in Santa Cruz, a coastal city 70 miles south of San Francisco. She’s in the same boat as tens of millions of California residents, as well as millions more now in New York State, who can only leave their home for essential needs, except for those working in hospitals, grocery stores and public services. Restaurants are open only for take-out, schools and offices are shut and colleges have gone remote, forcing families to co-exist and stay productive, often in tight quarters and all while staying away from friends and neighbors.

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