Leaders believe empathy drives performance. The data shows a different reality.
Organizations with toxic cultures are 2X more likely to report significant financial growth—even as fear, intimidation, and psychological safety decline. The result: a growing lag between business performance and human cost—pointing to a cultural reckoning ahead.
Built on insights from 1,300+ employees and executives and more than a decade of research in partnership with Edelman Data & Intelligence
CXOs are under pressure to deliver growth in an era defined by AI, cost control, and uncertainty. That pressure is reshaping decisions—favoring efficiency over experience and short-term gains over long-term culture.
Empathy isn't absent. It's being deprioritized
“So how do we rationalize these findings? I interpret them as precursors. Anticipatory signals of what’s on the horizon, and for some companies already here: A cultural reckoning.”
Jon Shanahan
President and CEO of Businessolver
Get the full download on empathy
Our 2026 State of Workplace Empathy report explores the data behind CXO decision-making, culture building, and leadership—and what today’s trends signal for what comes next.
