Skip to main content

Parental life-work balance index

Where is the best country to bring up a family? Our research identifies the countries that put parental life-work balance first.

Relocate with Remote

What do we mean by parental life-work balance?

Life-work balance (yes, that way around) means a healthy equilibrium between personal and professional life. It’s an approach that allows people to do their jobs well and progress their careers while still making time for family, non-work pursuits and personal commitments. As many working parents will confirm, bringing up children is itself a full-time task, and combining childcare with paid work can be difficult — especially during a child’s early years. Parental life-work balance acknowledges this and highlights the need for support so parents can manage family duties alongside career demands. Parental life-work balance covers more than formal policies like maternity and paternity leave. While statutory leave and pay are essential, parents also consider childcare, education, healthcare and the cost of living. At Remote, we strongly advocate for a balanced life-work approach. Keeping that balance helps prevent burnout, supports productivity and contributes to a happier, healthier workforce. Taking into account factors that affect working parents — such as parental leave policies, annual leave entitlements, childcare costs, and access to healthcare — we analysed 20 of the world’s leading countries for parental life-work balance to assess which nations recognise the rights of parents by putting family first.

Top 20 leading countries for parental life-work balance

We selected 20 countries by population and global economic significance, gathered data on a range of family-specific factors and scored each nation across the categories. We then calculated an overall index score and ranked the 20 nations from most to least family‑friendly.

Overall index score

norway-employment-guide.webp

1. Norway

Overall index score: 79.57

Shining as brightly as the Northern Lights — often seen over this Scandinavian nation — Norway leads our ranking with an overall index score of 79.57. Norwegian work culture places strong emphasis on equality and life‑work balance, and many employers provide flexible hours and the option to work remotely.

Alongside one of the world’s most generous parental leave schemes (working mums are offered 54 weeks of paid maternity leave), Norway also spends more on family benefits than many other countries. Although the cost of living is comparatively high, the country has universal healthcare and a fairly generous statutory annual leave allowance.

Norway employment guide
sweden-employment-guide.webp

2. Sweden

Overall index score: 78.01

Bordering Norway along a 1,600 km frontier, Sweden sits just behind its neighbour with an overall index score of 78.01. The country shows a strong commitment to workplace wellbeing — many firms offer “wellness allowances” — and Swedish work culture is known for openness, trust and a flatter organisational structure.

Sweden ranks among the leaders for childcare provision, allocating a higher share of GDP to pre‑primary education than any other nation while keeping childcare costs relatively affordable. The country has long emphasised gender equality in its parental leave policies, becoming the first nation to introduce gender‑neutral parental leave in 1974.

Sweden employment guide
denmark-employment-guide.webp

3. Denmark

Overall index score: 77.23

Reinforcing Scandinavia’s lead on workplace parental support, Denmark completes the top three in our index. The Danes often rank among the happiest people globally, which is partly due to a healthy approach to work where outcomes matter more than hours or location.

As shown in our earlier European Life-Work Balance Index, life‑work balance is embedded in Danish culture, with generous statutory annual leave. Denmark is considered one of the safest places for families and spends comparatively more on childcare, family benefits and pre‑primary education than most other nations.

Denmark employment guide
colorado-employment-guide.webp

4. Spain

Overall index score: 72.62

Spain’s high placing is unsurprising — it came second in our 2023 Global Life‑Work Balance Index — reflecting a working culture that prioritises wellbeing and, not least, its roughly 3,000 hours of average annual sunshine. Many people in Spain still take a mid‑afternoon siesta, which helps them recharge for later work.

No nation on our list offers a more generous combined maternity and paternity leave package (including 12 weeks of paid paternity leave), and a relatively low cost of living makes Spain an affordable place to raise a family. The country’s statutory annual leave entitlement is also among the most generous in Europe.

Spain employment guide
new-zealand-employment-guide.webp

5. New Zealand

Overall index score: 71.76

The highest‑ranked non‑European country on our list is the Antipodean nation of New Zealand. Voted the world’s most beautiful country in at least one survey, New Zealand also topped our 2023 global index for its healthy harmony between life and work. While hard work is part of the culture, finding time for non‑work pursuits is equally valued.

Childcare can be relatively costly, but New Zealand has one of the world’s higher minimum wages. It is also regarded as a very safe country to live in, making it attractive for family life. New Zealanders (Kiwis) benefit from generous annual leave and a high overall happiness rating.

New Zealand employment guide
poland-employment-guide.webp

6. Poland

Overall index score: 70.26

Although Poland has a rich cultural history and is not always known for its work‑life balance — with many organisations favouring hierarchical structures and a strong emphasis on punctuality ('punktualność jest złotem') — it remains one of the more affordable places to raise children, with a low cost of living, inexpensive childcare and substantial state support for family benefits.

Alongside relatively generous statutory maternity and paternity leave packages, parents in Poland can share up to 32 weeks of parental leave. However, the country does not recognise LGBTQ+ couples in the same way, so same‑sex parents do not enjoy equivalent rights.

Poland employment guide
finland-employment-guide.webp

7. Italy

Overall index score: 66.90

Italy’s lifestyle is widely admired: superb cuisine, a cultural heritage of art and fashion, and a generally pleasant climate. Family life is central — many Italian families are close‑knit and place great value on spending time together.

Work culture in Italy tends to be more hierarchical, with a “work hard, play hard” mentality, yet the country can be favourable for working parents thanks to a relatively low cost of living and affordable childcare. Parents may access nine months of leave, with three months allocated to each parent and a further three months to share.

Italy employment guide
luxembourg-employment-guide.webp

8. France

Overall index score: 66.43

Like neighbouring Italy, France is famed for enjoying the good life and savouring the finer moments. The country is also associated with a healthy life‑work balance and has 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 the most financially to family benefits, although these advantages are partially offset by a relatively high cost of living and comparatively steep childcare charges.

France employment guide
germany-employment-guide.webp

9. Germany

Overall index score: 65.57

As one of Europe’s largest and most populous countries, Germany is often linked with precision and pragmatism. These traits influence work culture — Germans tend to have longer average working weeks than some European neighbours — yet Germany still provides reasonable support for working families.

In particular, Germany allocates a relatively high share of GDP to family benefits and has comparatively lower childcare costs than countries such as France and the United Kingdom. While there is no single government‑funded healthcare system, most residents participate in statutory health insurance.

Germany employment guide
japan-employment-guide.webp

10. Japan

Overall index score: 61.85

Completing the top ten is the highest‑placed Asian nation on our list. Japan’s work culture is frequently defined by intense commitment to career, with long working hours common; this helps explain its lower position in our 2023 Japan is often characterized by extreme dedication to one’s career — with long working hours common — which is perhaps why it didn’t rank quite so highly in our 2023 Global Life-Work Balance Index, where it placed 38th out of the 60 countries we analysed.

Although holiday and parental leave policies in Japan can be restrictive, the country is regarded as one of the safest places for families. It also has a relatively low average cost of living and childcare costs that are lower than in many countries in our index, making it the most family‑oriented nation in Asia.

Japan employment guide

Why do parental support policies matter so much?

For working parents, finding a healthy life-work balance can be especially difficult. Balancing job duties with childcare responsibilities often leaves little opportunity to rest and recharge. Almost nine in ten families have at least one working parent, underlining how important it is for employers to acknowledge parents’ rights at work. Parental support forms a key element of a positive workplace culture, helping employers attract and keep top talent who have — or are planning to have — children. Company policies are only part of the solution. With remote work, parents can now relocate if another place offers better prospects for their family.

"Increasingly, parents are relocating to countries they believe will offer the best life for their children, often taking their remote roles with them. Designing policies for working parents is no longer solely a domestic concern; it has become part of attracting top international talent." Barbara Matthews, Chief People Officer at Remote.

Factors such as affordable childcare, investment in education and the overall cost of living are equally important for working parents, and different families assess these factors differently — LGBTQIA+ couples with children, surrogates and intended parents, and adoptive families all have distinct requirements. Companies aiming to hire the world’s best international talent will gain from offering competitive and attractive paid parental leave policies and benefit programmes that include practical provisions to support working parents.

Get your Remote Relocation Guide

Learn how to simplify your planned relocation with this walkthrough guide. We set out the key steps for you and your employer to ensure a compliant, efficient, and hassle-free move.

Download the guide – research/permanent-establishment-risk-guide

Download the guide

Why is parental life-work balance so important?

For parents, an employer who understands the need for workplace flexibility and support is vital, as it enables them to do their best both as employees and caregivers. It gives working parents time to adapt to raising a child and, where relevant, to return to work after starting a family.

  • A sound parental life-work balance can lower the risk of burnout, since overworked parents are more prone to absence because of stress or illness.

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

  • Employers that meet parents’ needs can improve retention, as current and prospective parents are likelier to remain with family‑friendly firms.

  • Employers who demonstrate a commitment to parental life-work balance may attract more applicants, since inclusive policies appeal to prospective staff.

  • Companies that adopt flexible parental policies can increase organisational agility and respond more quickly to unexpected staffing challenges.

  • Fair and transparent parental policies support diversity and inclusion by ensuring employees’ rights are respected whatever their personal circumstances. Inclusive parenting policies are particularly important because families do not all follow a 'traditional' model. Employers should provide parental support irrespective of parents’ gender or sexual orientation, or whether a child has joined the family through surrogacy or adoption. Many countries are beginning to recognise the rights of all parents — for example, Norway and Germany have parental leave policies that treat adoptive and biological parents equally. However, some nations still lag behind and do not yet recognise LGBTQIA+ couples’ parental rights. Our detailed review of global parental support highlights how essential fair policies and inclusive workplace cultures are to achieving life-work balance for parents. This goes beyond generous parental leave and affordable childcare — it also means creating workplaces where every family feels supported and respected. As modern work and family life evolve, it is clear that addressing the specific needs of working parents is central to building a happier, healthier workforce — and setting a global bar for parental support that benefits everyone.

Methodology

We analysed index data for 20 leading countries to identify which global players provide working parents with the best family and parental life‑work balance. Countries were chosen based on population and global economic presence — Russia, China, Ukraine and Israel were excluded because of ongoing socio‑political issues. The data were collected 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 per cent of GDP (highest best)
  • OECD public expenditure on childcare and pre-primary education, in per cent of GDP (highest best)
  • Healthcare status (rating lowest best)
  • Happiness Index (highest best)

We adjusted the metrics using index weights to reflect relative importance, giving each country an overall score out of 100. Weightings indicate whether higher or lower values are preferable. *When a range was offered, the minimum amount was listed.