Belief in the kindness of others is much more closely tied to happiness than previously thought, and it is often underestimated. This is one of the outcomes of this year’s World Happiness Report.

Global evidence from the “wallet test” - measuring perceived and actual return of lost wallets - shows that people are much too pessimistic about the kindness of their communities compared to reality. Actual rates of wallet return are around twice as high as people expect. The report shares other interesting results, for example:

• Sharing meals with others is strongly linked with wellbeing across the globe
• Household size is closely linked to happiness
• Social disconnection is increasing among young adults
• Declining happiness and social trust in the US and parts of Europe combine to explain the rise and direction of political polarisation and anti-system votes

Find out more about the “wallet test” and the other results, as well as a ranking of the world’s happiest countries, in the World Happiness Report 2025.  

So - how could you encourage acts of kindness in your organisation...?

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