Kindness matters: People who prioritise the needs of others have higher income

Previous research established that those who value achievement (e.g., success) tend to earn more. In contrast, prioritizing benevolence (e.g., caring for close others) is often seen as a contributing factor to why some people earn less. However, managerial literature indicates that senior leadership who prioritise benevolence should be more successful. We therefore argue that benevolence should also be positively associated with higher earnings. Across three samples from in total 31 countries (N = 86,563) collected prior, during, and after the Covid-19 pandemic (pre-registered), we find consistent support for our predictions. Furthermore, achievement and benevolence consistently interact in predicting income: benevolence is only associated with higher income when people value achievement less. Interestingly, the achievement-income associations are stronger among people living in less developed countries and for women. Additional analyses revealed that people in higher paying professions on average value achievement and benevolence more. Together, our findings emphasise the enduring importance of benevolence: Kindness is not penalised but often rewarded.