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Parental life-work balance index

Which country is the best place to raise a family? Our research identifies the nations placing parental life-work balance at the forefront.

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What is parental life-work balance?

Life-work balance (yes, that way around) means a sustainable balance between home life and work. It’s a model that lets people do their jobs well and advance professionally while still having time for family, hobbies and personal obligations. As many working parents will attest, raising children is a full-time responsibility, and combining childcare with paid work can be tough — especially during a child’s earliest years. Parental life-work balance recognises this and highlights the need for support that lets families manage parenting duties alongside career demands. Parental life-work balance covers more than statutory measures like maternity and paternity leave. While legal leave and pay matter greatly, issues such as childcare availability, education, healthcare and the cost of living are equally significant for parents. At Remote, we strongly back the benefits of a healthy life-work balance. Keeping that balance helps prevent burnout, boosts productivity and supports a happier, healthier workforce. Taking into account several factors that impact working parents — such as parental leave policies, annual leave entitlements, childcare costs and access to healthcare — we analysed 20 leading countries to see which ones put families first and uphold parents’ rights.

Top 20 leading countries for parental life-work balance

We chose 20 leading countries based on population size and global economic influence, gathered data on family-focused measures, and scored each country on those criteria. Each nation was then given an overall index score and ranked from most to least family friendly.

Overall index score

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1. Norway

Overall index score: 79.57

Like the Northern Lights that illuminate much of its night sky, Norway leads our ranking with a score of 79.57. Norwegian workplaces typically emphasise equality and life-work balance, with many employers offering flexible hours and remote working options.

Norway also provides one of the most generous parental leave schemes in the world (working mothers are eligible for 54 weeks of paid maternity leave), and public spending on family benefits is high. Although the cost of living is comparatively steep, the country offers universal healthcare and a fairly generous annual leave allowance.

Norway employment guide
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2. Sweden

Overall index score: 78.01

Bordering Norway for some 1,600 km, Sweden is close behind its neighbour in our rankings. The country places strong emphasis on workplace wellbeing — many employers provide “wellness allowances” — and its work culture is known for openness, trust and flat hierarchies.

Sweden ranks highly for childcare provision, investing a larger share of GDP in pre‑primary education than any other country and keeping childcare costs relatively affordable. The nation has long championed gender equality in its parental leave policies, being the first country to introduce gender‑neutral parental leave back in 1974.

Sweden employment guide
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3. Denmark

Overall index score: 77.23

Scandinavia continues to set the standard for parental support, with Denmark completing our top three. Danes are often cited among the happiest people globally, which ties into a cultural focus on outcomes rather than where or when the work gets done.

As shown in our earlier European Life-Work Balance Index, life-work balance is embedded in Danish society, with residents enjoying generous statutory annual leave. Public spending on childcare, family benefits and pre‑primary education is also higher than in most countries, while Denmark ranks as one of the safest places for families.

Denmark employment guide
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4. Spain

Overall index score: 72.62

Spain’s strong showing is unsurprising after it placed second in our 2023 Global Work-Life Balance Index, thanks to a work culture that values wellbeing — and plenty of sunshine, with around 3,000 hours of sunlight on average. Many Spaniards still take a mid‑afternoon siesta, which helps them recharge before resuming work later.

No country in our index offers more combined paid maternity and paternity leave, and paid paternity leave totals 12 weeks. A relatively modest cost of living also makes Spain an affordable option for families, while statutory annual leave entitlements are among Europe’s most generous.

Spain employment guide
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5. New Zealand

Overall index score: 71.76

The highest-ranked non‑European nation on our list is the Antipodean country of New Zealand. Frequently named one of the world’s most beautiful countries, New Zealand topped our 2023 global index for its strong life‑work harmony. Hard work is valued, but making time for life outside work is equally important.most beautiful country in at least one survey, New Zealand also ranked #1 in our 2023 global index for its healthy harmony between life and work. Hard work is a prerequisite of New Zealand’s culture, but just as important is making time for non-work pursuits.

Childcare can be relatively expensive, yet New Zealand also has one of the highest minimum wages globally. It’s widely regarded as a safe country for families and offers generous annual leave and high happiness ratings.

New Zealand employment guide
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6. Poland

Overall index score: 70.26

With a rich cultural heritage, Poland isn’t typically associated with relaxed work habits — many workplaces favour hierarchy and Poles value punctuality — but it stands out as one of the more affordable countries to raise children, with low living costs, economical childcare and substantial state family benefits.

Beyond relatively generous statutory maternity and paternity leave, parents in Poland can share up to 32 weeks of parental leave. It’s important to note, however, that the country does not recognise LGBTQ+ couples in the same way as some others, meaning same‑sex parents may not have equal rights.

Poland employment guide
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7. Italy

Overall index score: 66.90

Many people envy the Italian way of life: superb food, a rich cultural scene and pleasant weather for much of the year. Family ties are strong in Italy and there’s a clear focus on spending time together.

Though the workplace culture tends to be hierarchical with a “work hard, play hard” bent, Italy can be family‑friendly thanks to a relatively low cost of living and affordable childcare. Parents can make use of nine months of leave, typically split as three months per parent with the remaining three months shared between them.

Italy employment guide
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8. France

Overall index score: 66.43

Like their neighbours in Italy, the French have a reputation for enjoying life. France is known for savouring the small moments and also tends to strike a solid balance between life and work, with one of the shortest average working weeks in Europe.

France offers the most generous statutory annual leave of any country on our list and contributes heavily to family benefits — although this is balanced by a relatively high cost of living and steeper childcare fees.

France employment guide
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9. Germany

Overall index score: 65.57

As one of Europe’s largest and most populous countries, Germany is often associated with precision and pragmatism. That outlook influences the workplace — Germans often work longer weeks than some neighbours — but the country still provides reasonable support for working families.

Notably, Germany directs a significant share of GDP to family benefits, and childcare costs are modest compared with countries like France and the UK. While there isn’t a single government‑run healthcare service, most residents are covered by statutory health insurance.

Germany employment guide
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10. Japan

Overall index score: 61.85

Rounding out the top 10 is the highest‑ranked Asian country on our list. In Japan the work culture is often marked by intense commitment to careers and long hours, which helps explain its lower placing in our 2023 Global Life-Work Balance Index, where it came in at #38 out of 60 countries.

Despite relatively restrictive holiday and parental leave rules, Japan ranks as one of the safest countries for families. It also has a fairly low average cost of living and childcare costs that are lower than most nations in our index, making it Asia’s most family‑focused country in this analysis.

Japan employment guide

Why are parental support policies so important?

Balancing work and family can be especially difficult for parents. Juggling job duties and childcare leaves little opportunity to rest and recover. Almost 9 in 10 families have at least one working parent, underlining why employers must recognise parents’ needs at work. Parental support is central to building a positive workplace and helps firms attract and keep top talent who are, or plan to become, parents. Company policies are only part of the solution. With remote work, parents can now move their families to locations that offer a better future.

"Increasingly, we see parents moving to countries they feel can offer the best possible life for their children, and bringing their remote jobs with them. Creating policies for working parents is no longer just a domestic issue within each country but also an issue of attracting the best international talent." Barbara Matthews, Chief People Officer at Remote.

Factors like affordable childcare, investment in education and the overall cost of living are equally important for working parents, and different families prioritise these differently — LGBTQIA+ couples with children, surrogates and intended parents, and adoptive families each have distinct needs. Ambitious employers wanting the best international talent should offer competitive and attractive paid parental leave policies, plus benefits that provide real support for working parents.

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Why is parental life-work balance so essential?

For parents, an employer who provides flexibility and support at work is crucial because it enables them to perform well both as an employee and as a caregiver. It gives working parents time to adapt to raising a child and, where needed, eases the return to work after parental leave.

  • A healthy parental life-work balance can help lower burnout, since overworked parents are more likely to be off work with stress or illness.

  • A balanced family life can lift productivity: parents who have time to recharge tend to be more focused during working hours.

  • Employers that support parents can improve retention, as working and prospective parents are likelier to remain with family‑friendly organisations.

  • Companies that commit to parental life-work balance may attract more applicants, because inclusive policies appeal to a wider pool of candidates.

  • Organisations that adopt flexible parental policies can become more agile, better able to respond quickly to unexpected staffing challenges.

  • Clear and fair parental policies support diversity and inclusion by protecting employees’ rights regardless of their personal circumstances. Inclusive parenting policies are vital because families come in many forms. Employers should support parents irrespective of gender or sexual orientation, and whether a child has joined a family through surrogacy or adoption. Thankfully, a number of countries now recognise the rights of all parents — for example, Norway and Germany provide parental leave policies that treat adoptive and biological parents equally. But other countries still need to catch up, particularly on LGBTQIA+ recognition. Our in‑depth review of global parental support highlights how important fair policies and inclusive workplace cultures are for creating life‑work balance for parents. It’s not just about generous leave and affordable childcare; it’s about building workplaces where all families feel supported. As we navigate the changing realities of work and family life, it’s clear that recognising and meeting the specific needs of working parents is key to a healthier, happier workforce — and to setting an international benchmark for parental support.

Methodology

We analysed data for 20 leading countries to find which global players offer the best parental life-work balance for working families. Countries were picked based on population size and international economic standing — Russia, China, Ukraine and Israel were excluded due to ongoing socio‑political issues. Data collection took place in February 2024. The index considered the following metrics:

  • Statutory maternity and paternity packages (lowest best)*
  • Statutory annual leave (total days of paid leave, including public holidays)*
  • Safety: Global Peace Index score (lowest best)
  • Cost of Living Index score (lowest best)
  • Childcare costs: price rankings by country of preschool (or kindergarten), full day, private, monthly for 1 child
  • OECD public expenditure on family benefits, in percent of GDP (highest best)
  • OECD public expenditure on childcare and pre-primary education, in percent of GDP (highest best)
  • Healthcare status (rating lowest best)
  • Happiness Index (highest best)

We applied index weightings to the metrics to reflect their relative importance, producing an overall score out of 100 for each country. Higher or lower weightings are indicated above. *When a range was provided, the minimum amount was used.