My thoughts on COVID-19

As we continue to feel the impact of COVID-19, this week and the ones ahead of us will be different. At Aurora, we will continue to support each other, put the needs of our families first, and execute with excellence. Though our physical offices are temporarily closed, our development and virtual testing work continues. Now, more than ever, it’s important to stay connected by communicating openly, honestly, and often. Last night I sent the email below to everyone at Aurora, sharing that none of us are alone and that even when we feel unsettled, we can rely on one another. 

---------- Forwarded message ---------

From: Chris Urmson <>

Date: Mon, Mar 16, 2020 at 8:38 PM

Subject: Note 3/16/2020

Hi all,

When I am about to give a big talk somewhere, I find that my whole body starts to feel tight. I can feel the anxiety in my shoulders and in my lungs. It's no longer strange to me, but it is uncomfortable. My solution is to find somewhere quiet to sit by myself and pull all of the energy I can find into my body, and get my brain centered by figuring out the first few things I'm going to say on stage. Generally it works out pretty well, and by the time I get on stage I'm able to translate the anxious energy into an intensity that helps me connect to folks in the audience to tell our story. Once I get off stage I’m generally toast, but feeling better.

I've had that same feeling of anxiety for the last few days as we've watched the COVID-19 drama unfold around us. Unfortunately there isn't an opportunity to charge up and release the energy. Instead I find myself wondering if that cough or stickiness in my throat is Fibrosis that indicates my lungs are filling with crap, or perhaps I just didn’t get enough sleep last night, so I don't feel great, or maybe I’ve got a cold coming on? Argh. For me, the only temporary solution I’ve found so far is to get in some good exercise (which helps for a bit) and to put my focus on you all, and how we keep Aurora going through this.

In a week or two, I expect this will be the new normal, I guess, and perhaps the anxiety will subside. In the interim, the best we can do is hang together, focus on the things we can control, like doing good work and getting some exercise (and washing our hands, like a lot).

As you know, we have decided to close our offices through April 7th in support of slowing the spread of the coronavirus. It’s important that we do our best to stay connected and work together while we ride out this storm. To help, we’re adding a few touch points to keep us connected:

• Twice a week, we’re going to hold 15 minute “pit-stops”. You should see these on your calendar now. While attendance at these is technically optional, please make every effort to tune in. I’ll spend some time sharing thoughts, and providing perspective on things that are going on. We’ll also be answering questions posted to the #pit-stop Slack channel. Without having the shared experiences of being in the office together, we want to provide this touchpoint we can all share in together. Shared experiences are part of what makes us a team, and not a bunch of random individuals.
• I’ll also have office hours twice a day. I’ll be on a hangout at 8:30am Pacific and some time in the afternoon daily. Please virtually “stop by” to say hi, I’m available to talk about whatever, and I get lonely not seeing you all, so please find a time to stop in. We can chat about whatever, from technical to business, to just how we’re feeling.
• I’ll also send out regular emails to help the team stay connected.  
• We now have a #wfh-diaries Slack channel where we can share tips about working from home and some lighthearted messages about our WFH routines, including photos of our family or workspace. I encourage you to join.

Finally, for many of us this is a scary and stressful time. Not only is there a virus outside, we now have to work in new ways, at home, while also taking care of our families throughout the day. Many of us who are parents or caregivers will feel torn between our obligations to our family and our obligations to work. I find this stressful under regular circumstances, so can only imagine how this is going to feel as this situation drags on. Please know that we have a reasonable time-off policy for a reason, and take advantage of it. For example, if you have to split time with your partner since your childcare isn’t available, please know that we understand, and that you should take some time off as needed. We trust you to be reasonable, and to take care of yourself and your family. We hope that by not having the stress of having to constantly balance both work and family care while at home, you will be able to be more effective and productive when you turn your attention to work.   

Please also be sure to over-communicate with your team. Both being clear about availability so your peers can understand what they can expect of you, and sharing the challenges you are facing, will help others who you may not know are in the same boat as you.  

While things may look dark on the outside, on the inside of Aurora our future looks bright. I know that our team can and will pull through this. Thanks to all of your dedication and hard work, we’ll hit the ground still running when we’re able to get back into the office.

Thanks,

Chris