So here we are. Lockdown. It was a move we all anticipated, but Boris Johnson’s words on Monday night still hit home harder than a Tyson Fury uppercut.

The UK is facing a “moment of national emergency”, the prime minister said, as he ordered people to stay at home. For the next three weeks, Brits may only venture outside to exercise once a day, to travel to and from work when “absolutely necessary”, to fulfil any medical or care needs, or to shop for essential items such as food.

Retailers selling non-essential products have been closed temporarily. Many had already shut before Johnson’s hard-line measures were unveiled.

John Lewis, Ikea, Debenhams, TK Maxx, New Look, Clarks, Beaverbrooks, HMV, Reiss, Pret A Manger, McDonald’s – the list of businesses that took matters into their own hands and shut to protect their employees and customers goes on.

Those businesses that are putting people before profit in this way will not be forgotten during the pandemic, nor afterwards.

“It is too easy to suggest everything will return to normal once this pandemic passes – that we will all flood back to our favourite pubs and restaurants”

Burger chain Byron hit the nail on the head. It is a business that could potentially have made headway during the crisis. Although it closed its restaurants last week, it switched to a Deliveroo-only takeaway model – which it would have been allowed to continue under the government’s restrictions.

But an hour before Johnson addressed the nation, an email hit the inboxes of Byron customers.

“At this time of national crisis, when the most responsible thing is to stay home, we don’t believe it’s right to ask our employees to travel into work.

“So, we are temporarily closing the kitchens, switching off the Deliveroo tablets and locally distributing our remaining food to those in need.”

In two sentences, it encapsulated the altruistic approach that businesses and communities need to take in this emergency.

It will make us think differently about where we work and shop. People will start to ask themselves: am I working for a business that cares about more than just profit? Am I shopping with a retailer who uses its clout to help charities and community groups?

It is too easy to suggest everything will return to normal once this pandemic passes – that we will all flood back to our favourite pubs and restaurants, work out in the same gyms and splash the cash in our old-faithful clothes shops.

Change in the air

But make no mistake about it, a mindset shift is already starting to happen.

One store worker tweeted me on Monday: “The retailer I work for announced this morning it would stay open unless forced to close. Despite the high level of children that come through the door and how at-risk it puts employees and customers. We are all disappointed it put profit before people.”

As grocers like Tesco, Morrisons, Asda, Aldi and Lidl recruit tens of thousands of new staff, there’s every chance that such disillusioned employees will take on temporary roles with a rival retailer – and never return.

There have been online backlashes against Sports Direct and B&M which, intentionally or not, have given the impression of putting profit before their people.

“In the same way that coronavirus will leave lasting emotional scars, it will also create lasting emotional bonds”

Sports Direct has engaged with the government in a bid to keep its stores open, claiming that demand for workout equipment has “increased exponentially” since gyms started to close.

It argues that should mark it out as an essential retailer as people seek to keep fit at home. But observers suggested the move was simply putting a sales opportunity ahead of the wellbeing of its staff and shoppers.

B&M faced a similar reaction on social media for telling staff that anyone social distancing at home would not be paid “even if you are at risk”. Anyone forced to self-isolate would only be entitled to statutory sick pay. B&M implemented such measures despite plans to pay investors a special dividend of 15p per share, due to be paid next month.

These things will not be forgotten.

Doing the right thing

The difference in their communications compared to retailers such as Tesco, which is paying staff a 10% bonus for their efforts during the pandemic; Superdrug owner AS Watson, which has set aside a £40m staff support package; John Lewis, which is dishing out £1m to community groups; and Morrisons, which has set up a colleague hardship fund for those struggling to make ends meet, is night and day.

Being seen to put people before profit should not be written off as ‘good PR’ – now more than ever, it is the right thing to do.

Consumers will remember the companies that stepped up during difficult times, supported them financially and psychologically, and went above and beyond to deliver their goods and services.

In the same way that coronavirus will leave lasting emotional scars, it will also create lasting emotional bonds. Putting people before profit will be a key characteristic of the companies that create those relationships with their customers, long after the pandemic has passed.