What is life-work balance & why does it matter in 2025?
We avoid the traditional phrase “work-life balance” because it implies the wrong priority. Our preferred term, life-work balance, places life first and frames work as supporting and enhancing it rather than dominating it. Life-work balance is not merely the amount of time spent working or free; it is more layered. Our study aims to present a rounded perspective of what it truly means to live and work well across different global contexts. We recognise there is no single definition of life-work balance — it varies by individual and culture. Our objective is to outline the statutory benefits and workplace systems that support a healthier life-work balance worldwide, not to generalise. Globally, life-work balance underpins physical and emotional wellbeing. Everyone should have the time and autonomy to engage meaningfully outside of work.
“By promoting life-work balance, we acknowledge that work is a means to support life and not its defining purpose. At Remote, our Global Life-Work Balance study is more than just a comparative table. It’s a reflection of our core belief that people perform their best when they’re trusted to live fully outside of work, not just within it. We advocate for life-work balance because flexibility and wellbeing are more than just perks. Our mission is to build a future where global talent thrives not just professionally, but personally too.” — Barbara Matthews, Chief People Officer
Why life-work balance matters more than ever
For the first time, life-work balance is regarded as the leading motivator for employees globally, with workplace flexibility outranking salary in importance in a recent survey of thousands of international workers.
Why, then, is life-work balance becoming non-negotiable in today’s working environment?
Employees increasingly demand flexibility. In our recent Remote Workforce Report, 73% of hiring leaders reported losing employees to organisations offering greater flexibility.
The boundaries are blurred. While hybrid and remote working bring many benefits, they can make it harder for employees to ‘disconnect.’
We live in an always-on culture. Technology has extended our capabilities, but expectations for 24/7 responsiveness have risen.
Economic uncertainty is widespread. With the global cost of living on the rise, many employees overwork to remain relevant and secure in their roles.
Parental responsibilities are placing additional strain. Almost three-quarters of the global workforce shoulder some form of caregiving responsibility alongside their careers.
AI has introduced further stress. Although AI can enable smarter working, it also intensifies fears of redundancy and the need for ongoing skill development.
As our study indicates, countries including New Zealand and several European nations support employees with employee-first policies that help balance life and work; by contrast, countries such as the United States risk a burnout crisis due to a culture that continues to prioritise long hours and limited paid leave.
Absent decisive measures, this trajectory will deplete the talent pool and undermine the workforce’s future resilience.
Life-work balance index survey methodology
As leaders in global HR and employment, we analysed index data for the world’s top 60 GDP countries to identify which jurisdictions offer employees the best life-work balance. The top 60 GDP countries were chosen as the global sample. The study examined the following indicators:
Statutory annual leave (total days of paid leave, including public holidays)*
Minimum statutory sick pay (percent of wage, or a flat amount)*
Statutory maternity leave (weeks paid)*
Statutory maternity leave payment rate (percent of wage)*
Minimum wage (USD per hour)*
Healthcare status
Happiness index score (1-10, 10 being highest)
Average hours per week per employed person
LGBTQ+ Inclusivity (0-100, 100 being highest to reflect the Legal Index scores the legal rights and freedoms LGBTQ+ people have, while the Public Opinion Index scores how the general public feels in each region)
Safety: Global Peace Index (1-4, lower is better)
The goal was to accurately represent each country’s life-work balance, reframing the familiar concept of “work-life balance” to showcase how businesses in each country are looking after the lives of their employees and putting life before work.
Metrics were weighted in the index to reflect relative importance, giving each country an overall score out of 100. All data points were ranked highest to lowest, except the healthcare rating (ranked out of five, with one being the best), and average hours worked per week and the safety score, which were both ranked from lowest to best.
The data were pulled and analysed in April 2025.
(*) When a range was offered, the minimum amount was listed.
