The case for business generosity has never been stronger — and for the first time, the 2026 Business Generosity Report captures specific employee performance impacts many executives have been seeing for years.

The latest research from goBeyondProfit and Georgia CEO doesn't just confirm that generosity matters to some employees. It documents five years of accelerating evidence that the importance is rising among the vast majority of employees, executive investment is following, and those companies that incorporate generosity across their entire business stand to gain the most benefits.

The Data Confirms: Generosity in Business Matters More Than Ever

In 2019, 49% of employees said working for a generous company was very or extremely important. In 2026, that number is 82% — an all-time high. The share who says it is extremely important has climbed from 36% to 44% over the same period.

The business case shows up just as clearly in daily performance data. 94% of employees say generosity has a significant impact on their day-to-day work — improving collaboration, innovation, effort, productivity, customer engagement, and overall loyalty. 

And the career decision data underscores the shift: 80% of employees have made at least one career decision based on generosity. 55% have made a financial sacrifice to work for a generous employer. 

A year ago, 34% of employees said generosity had never influenced a career decision. Today, that number is down to 20%. The pool of employees making career decisions based on generosity is growing.

Executives Are Responding in Near-Universal Support

The executive response to this shift has been significant. The percentage of executives increasing their investment in generosity has nearly doubled since 2023 — from 33% to 64%. Alongside the 35% holding steady, that means 99% of executives are either increasing or maintaining their generosity investments. The commitment is near-universal.

Among those increasing investment, building trust and goodwill as AI reshapes the workplace ranks as a top reason — 1 in 3 executives (32%) cite it specifically. Generosity is increasingly a powerful response to specific business pressures.

Yes, But: What Type of Generosity Generates This Response?

64% of executives say they're increasing their investment in generosity. Only 40% of employees perceive the increase. That 24-point gap between investment and perception is one of the widest in the entire survey.

Employees understand the economic pressure executives face. Among employees who believe their employer’s generosity is slipping, 48% point directly to financial pressure on the business as the reason. They are not claiming indifference or broken promises. They are not asking executives to ignore economic realities. 

They’re specific generosity requests are all about the need for a little more humanity while the business works through it.

The companies investing in generosity across their entire businesses are the ones best positioned to benefit. The 2026 Business Generosity Report gives executives a category-by-category benchmark for where their current investments are earning genuine credit — and what types of generosity generate the biggest positive impacts.

This is not a trend or a generational moment. It's an accelerating shift in what employees value most from their employer.