What is life-work balance and why is it important in 2025?
We avoid the conventional phrase ‘work‑life balance’ because it places work first, both literally and philosophically. Our preferred term, life‑work balance, stresses that life should come first and that work ought to enrich, not overshadow, it. Life‑work balance is not merely a tally of time spent at work versus time for personal pursuits; it is more nuanced. That is why our study aims to present a rounded picture of what it genuinely means to live and work well in different parts of the world. We also recognise that life‑work balance has no single definition — it will differ for every person and within every culture. Our objective is not to generalise but to outline the statutory benefits and workplace systems globally that support a strong culture of life‑work balance. Across the world, life‑work balance remains central to physical and emotional wellbeing. Everyone should have the time and freedom to engage meaningfully with life outside work.
“By promoting life‑work balance, we recognise that work exists to support life rather than define it. At Remote, our Global Life‑Work Balance study is more than a comparison table; it embodies our conviction that people perform at their best when trusted to live fully outside work as well as within it. We champion life‑work balance because flexibility and wellbeing are far more than perks. Our mission is to create a future where global talent flourishes both professionally and personally.” — Barbara Matthews, Chief People Officer
Why life-work balance is increasingly important
For the first time, life‑work balance is the top motivator for employees worldwide, with workplace flexibility outranking pay in importance in a recent survey of thousands of international workers.
Why, then, is life‑work balance becoming non‑negotiable in today’s working world?
Employees expect flexibility. In our recent Remote Workforce Report, 73% of hiring leaders reported losing employees to firms that offer greater flexibility.
Boundaries have become blurred. The wide uptake of hybrid and remote working brings benefits, but it can make it harder for staff to ‘switch off.’
An always‑on culture prevails. Technology has widened our horizons, but expectations for 24/7 responsiveness have grown.
Economic uncertainty is widespread. With rising costs of living worldwide, many employees are working longer hours to remain relevant and secure in their roles.
Parental and caregiving responsibilities are taking a toll. Nearly three‑quarters of the global workforce have some form of caregiving responsibility to juggle alongside a career.
AI adds further pressure. While AI can help us work more efficiently, it also amplifies fears of redundancy and the need for continual skills development.
Our study shows that countries such as New Zealand and many across Europe are helping employees manage the balance between life and work through employee‑first policies, whereas nations like the United States risk a burnout crisis with a culture that still prioritises long hours and limited paid leave.
Without decisive action, this approach will deplete the talent pool and weaken the future resilience of the workforce.
Life-work balance index survey methodology
As specialists in global HR and employment, we analysed index data for the world’s top 60 GDP countries to identify which global players offer employees the best life‑work balance. The top 60 GDP nations were selected as a representative global sample. The study examined the following indicators:
Statutory annual leave (total paid leave days, including public holidays)*
Minimum statutory sick pay (percentage of wage, or a flat rate)*
Statutory maternity leave (weeks paid)*
Maternity leave payment rate (percentage of wage)*
Minimum wage (USD per hour)*
Healthcare status
Happiness index score (1–10, 10 being highest)
Average hours worked per week per employed person
LGBTQ+ inclusivity (0–100, 100 being highest — reflecting the Legal Index scores for legal rights and the Public Opinion Index scores for public attitudes in each region)
Safety: Global Peace Index (1–4, lower is better)
The aim was to present an accurate picture of each country’s life-work balance, reframing the familiar “work-life balance” concept to show how businesses in each country support the lives of their employees and place life before work.
Metrics were weighted to reflect relative importance, resulting in an overall score out of 100 for each country. All data points are ranked from best to worst, except for the healthcare rating (ranked out of five, with one being best) and for average weekly hours and the safety score, which are ranked from lowest to highest.
Data were collected and analysed in April 2025.
(*) Where a range was provided, the minimum value is shown.
