This article discusses the potential need for benevolence by looking at its implications at work. We propose that benevolence promotes autonomous motivation, well-being and prosocial behaviours, while depriving it increases psychological distress, controlled motivation and deviant behaviours. Based on a cross-sectional research design, the results show that benevolence has a significant impact on well-being, on autonomous motivation and on prosocial behaviours at work. However, the effects of lack of benevolence on distress, controlled motivation and deviance are not significant.