Hiring has slowed and some CEOs are eager to use the moment to return to historic workplace dynamics to increase collaboration and productivity. The 2025 Generosity by the Generations Report from goBeyondProfit and Georgia CEO suggests that while employees may be stuck, doubling down on workplace generosity may be the key strategy for higher productivity and building loyalty that lasts when the economy shifts.

Data forewarns that employees are constantly evaluating their options—they seek out generous businesses and tend to switch when they find what they are looking for. 

Millennials and Gen Z are searching for more. At least 4 out of 10 Millennials (43%) and Gen Z (44%) are actively looking for jobs elsewhere. For these generations, their willingness to move is directly connected to the company’s generosity.

Gen Z takes action. More than any other generation, 43% of Gen Z have left a job due to a lack of generosity—a rate four times higher than that of Baby Boomers (10%) and nearly 20 points higher than their Millennial (25%) and Gen X (21%) counterparts. They are also much more likely (nearly 10 points) to have actively pursued a job at a generous company, as are their Millennial counterparts.

Willingness to sacrifice pay. Gen Z (22%), Millennials (19%), and Gen X (20%) are much more willing to take a pay cut to work for a generous company than Baby Boomers (7%).

Gen X and Baby Boomers are more settled. Older generations are much less likely to seek a new job, with only 31% of Gen X and 20% of Baby Boomers considering new opportunities. Additionally, 2 out of 3 Baby Boomers (65%) and 42% of Gen X have never taken career action based on a company’s generosity. For these groups, factors such as stability and experience may be more significant motivators.

The findings of the 2025 Generosity by the Generations Report serve as a crucial guide for leaders, highlighting that a one-size-fits-all approach to generosity is simply not effective. By responding to the different motivations of each generation companies can retain top talent and ensure a competitive advantage.