Employees are increasingly prioritizing overall wellness and benefits that enable them to help their families thrive.  A new report by goBeyondProfit reveals widening gaps between what companies are currently offering and what employees are looking for in an employer. 

The concept of generosity is undergoing a significant shift, with two-thirds of employees defining it as going above and beyond in the way you care for your employees. Not only that, but the data paints a clear picture: employees are prioritizing their quality of life, even if that means leaving their current employer and accepting lower compensation to preserve the overall balance they seek.

Growing Demand for Family-Focused Support:

• Maternal Health Services: Demand for expanded maternal health services has jumped nearly 10 points since 2023. While 85% of employees (both men and women) value these services, only 21% of companies currently offer expanded benefits – a concerning trend considering Georgia's high maternal mortality rate, particularly among women of color.

• Childcare Gap: A lack of childcare support exists (only 15% of companies offer) despite strong employee demand by male and female respondents (83%). Lack of childcare support directly impacts productivity, especially for Millennials and employees of color.

• Flexible Work Schedules: Employees overwhelmingly value the freedom to manage their work schedules (94%), with 34% citing flexibility as the single most important demonstration of generosity. Rather than a request to work from home, they seek the flexibility to manage their own quality of life and focus on the relationships in their lives, including partners, families, and friends. 

• Mental Health Support: People want to show up as their best selves, both at home and in the office, with 65% of employees seeing mental health support as "very important." However, only half of companies offer such programs. Protecting mental well-being at work yields happier, more productive, and more satisfied employees.

For the full report click here. 

Executives should take note: there are consequences for not offering the wellness protections that employees deem necessary to protect their quality of life. An alarming 51% of workers have left companies due to these gaps in benefits. Even more surprising, a significant portion (38%) of Gen Z employees and 29% of workers across the other generations report currently taking a pay cut to protect their quality of life. 

Investing in generosity isn't just the right thing to do, it's good business. A lack of generosity can lead to employee turnover and decreased productivity.

The full report explores these findings in greater detail and offers resources to help companies implement these solutions.

About goBeyondProfit:

goBeyondProfit is a statewide alliance of more than 2,100 business leaders committed to operating generously and improving people’s lives.