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Parental life-work balance index

Which country offers the best environment to raise a family? Our research identifies the nations prioritising life-work balance for parents.

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What is parental life-work balance?

Life-work balance (intentionally that way round) refers to a sustainable equilibrium between personal and professional responsibilities. It is a framework enabling individuals to fulfil job duties and progress their careers while preserving time for family, personal interests and other non-work commitments. As many working parents will attest, parenting itself is a full-time role, and combining childcare with employment can be demanding — particularly in a child’s early years. Parental life-work balance acknowledges this reality and emphasises the need for support so families can manage both caregiving duties and career expectations. Parental life-work balance covers several elements beyond statutory policies such as maternity and paternity leave. While statutory leave and pay remain essential, aspects like childcare, education, healthcare and the cost of living are equally significant for parents. At Remote, we advocate strongly for a balanced life-work approach. Preserving that balance helps prevent burnout, boosts productivity and supports the creation of a happier, healthier workforce. Considering multiple influences on working parents — including parental leave policies, statutory annual leave, childcare affordability and access to healthcare — we examined 20 leading countries worldwide to determine which nations put families first and protect parents' rights.

Top 20 leading countries for parental life-work balance

We selected 20 prominent countries by population and global economic influence, gathered data on family-focused indicators, and scored each nation across those categories. Each country was then given an overall index score and ranked from most to least family friendly.

RankCountryContinentIndex Score / 100Statutory maternity & paternity packages rankStatutory annual leaveSafety: Global Peace Index RankingExpense: Cost of living index scoreChildcare Cost: Monthly price of preschool for 1 child for full daysSupport: Public expenditure on family benefitsEducation: Public expenditure on childcare & pre-primary educationHealthcare systemHappiness index
1
Norway
Europe
79.57
2
33
1.55
79.2
312.82
3.28
1.4
universal government-funded system
7.32
2
Sweden
Europe
78.01
10
27
1.63
62.2
135.44
3.42
1.6
universal government-funded system
7.4
3
Denmark
Europe
77.23
8
35
1.31
75.2
492.80
3.31
1.2
universal government-funded system
7.59
4
Spain
Europe
72.62
1
34
1.65
48.4
441.87
1.48
0.5
universal government-funded system
6.44
5
New Zealand
Oceania
71.76
9
35
1.31
68.2
779.18
2.65
0.9
universal government-funded system
7.12
6
Poland
Europe
70.26
1
18
1.63
41.9
325.77
3.35
0.6
universal public insurance system
6.26
7
Italy
Europe
66.90
5
32
1.66
58.9
563.89
1.87
0.6
universal government-funded system
6.4
8
France
Europe
66.43
6
36
1.94
66
727.18
3.44
1.3
universal public insurance system
6.66
9
Germany
Europe
65.57
8
30
1.46
62.7
427.39
3.24
0.8
universal public-private insurance system
6.89
10
Japan
Asia
61.85
11
26
1.34
50.7
339.40
1.95
0.8
universal public insurance system
6.13

Overall index score

norway-employment-guide.webp

1. Norway

Overall index score: 79.57

Glistening like the Northern Lights often seen above this Scandinavian nation, Norway leads our ranking with a score of 79.57. Norwegian workplace culture places a high value on equality and life-work balance, with many employers offering flexible hours and remote working options.

Alongside one of the world’s most generous parental leave regimes (working mothers receive 54 weeks of paid maternity leave), Norway allocates substantial funds to family benefits. Despite a relatively high cost of living, the country provides universal healthcare and a comparatively generous annual leave entitlement.

Norway employment guide
sweden-employment-guide.webp

2. Sweden

Overall index score: 78.01

Bordering Norway for 1,600 km, Sweden closely follows its neighbour in parental life-work support. The nation demonstrates a firm commitment to workplace wellbeing — many firms provide "wellness allowances" — and Swedish workplaces are widely known for openness, trust and flatter hierarchies.

Sweden ranks among the best for childcare provision, investing a larger share of GDP in pre-primary education than any other country while keeping childcare costs affordable. The nation also has a longstanding commitment to gender equality within its parental leave policies, having introduced gender-neutral parental leave as early as 1974.

Sweden employment guide
denmark-employment-guide.webp

3. Denmark

Overall index score: 77.23

Further evidence that Scandinavia leads on parental workplace support, Denmark completes our top three. Danes are often cited as among the happiest people globally, a status linked in part to a balanced attitude to work where outcomes take precedence over 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 also regarded as one of the safer countries for families and invests heavily in childcare, family benefits and pre-primary education.

Denmark employment guide
colorado-employment-guide.webp

4. Spain

Overall index score: 72.62

Spain’s strong placing is unsurprising given its second-place finish in our 2023 Global Work-Life Balance Index, reflecting a workplace culture that values wellbeing and abundant sunshine — around 3,000 hours on average per year. Many Spaniards continue the tradition of a mid-afternoon siesta, helping them recharge for later work.

No country in our index offers more generous combined maternity and paternity leave (including 12 weeks of paid paternity leave), and a comparatively low cost of living makes Spain an accessible choice for family life. The nation also has one of the most generous statutory annual leave entitlements in Europe.

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

5. New Zealand

Overall index score: 71.76

The highest-placed non-European country on our list is the Antipodean nation of New Zealand. Frequently rated among the world’s most scenic countries, New Zealand also topped our 2023 global index for a healthy balance between life and work. While Kiwis value hard work, they also place significant importance on time for non-work pursuits.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.

Although childcare can be relatively costly, New Zealand offers one of the higher minimum wages globally. It is seen as a safe environment for families, with generous annual leave entitlements and strong overall happiness indicators.

New Zealand employment guide
poland-employment-guide.webp

6. Poland

Overall index score: 70.26

With a deep cultural heritage, Poland may not be widely noted for its life-work balance — many organisations remain hierarchical and punctuality is highly valued — but it is one of the more affordable countries to raise children, offering low living costs, economical childcare and substantial state family support.

Alongside reasonably generous statutory maternity and paternity entitlements, parents in Poland can share up to 32 weeks of parental leave. It is important to note, however, that the country does not afford the same rights to LGBTQ+ couples, so same-sex parents may face limitations.

Poland employment guide
finland-employment-guide.webp

7. Italy

Overall index score: 66.90

Many envy aspects of the Italian way of life: exceptional cuisine, a rich cultural lineage in art and fashion, and generally pleasant weather. Family ties are strong in Italy, with an emphasis on spending quality time together.

Italian workplaces are often hierarchical and reflect a "work hard, play hard" ethos, but the country is generally supportive of working parents due to a reasonable cost of living and affordable childcare. Parents in Italy may utilise nine months of leave, typically with three months assigned to each parent and the remaining three months shared between them.

Italy employment guide
luxembourg-employment-guide.webp

8. France

Overall index score: 66.43

Like their Italian neighbours, the French are famed for enjoying life's finer moments. French culture emphasises savouring everyday experiences and tends to support a healthy life-work balance, including one of the shorter average working weeks in Europe.

France offers the most generous statutory annual leave entitlement among countries in our study and makes the largest financial contribution to family benefits — although this is somewhat offset by a higher cost of living and relatively steep childcare expenses.

France employment guide
germany-employment-guide.webp

9. Germany

Overall index score: 65.57

As one of Europe's largest and most populous states, Germany is often associated with precision and pragmatism. These traits influence its working culture — Germans may work longer weeks than some neighbours — yet the country still provides reasonable support for working families.

Notably, Germany allocates a high share of GDP to family benefits and has relatively moderate childcare costs compared with countries like France and the United Kingdom. There is no universal government-funded healthcare; however, most people are covered by statutory health insurance.

Germany employment guide
japan-employment-guide.webp

10. Japan

Overall index score: 61.85

Rounding out the top ten is the highest-scoring Asian nation on our list. The working culture in Japan is often defined by intense career dedication and long hours, which helps explain its lower placement in our 2023 Global Life-Work Balance Index, where it ranked 38th out of 60 countries studied.

Despite relatively restrictive holiday and parental leave arrangements, Japan is regarded as one of the safer countries for families. Its average cost of living is comparatively low and childcare costs are lower than in many nations included here, making it Asia’s most family-oriented country in our index.

Japan employment guide

Why are parental support policies so important?

For working parents, maintaining a healthy life-work balance can be especially difficult. The demands of work combined with childcare responsibilities often leave little opportunity to recuperate. Nearly 9 in 10 families include at least one working parent, underscoring the necessity for employers to respect parents' rights at work. Parental support forms a critical part of a positive workplace culture, helping organisations attract and retain top talent who are parents or plan to become parents. Company policies are only one element; in the era of remote work, parents can now relocate their families to places that offer better opportunities for their children.

"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.

Considerations like affordable childcare, investment in education and the overall cost of living carry equal weight for working parents, and different family structures will prioritise these factors differently — LGBTQIA+ couples with children, surrogate mothers and intended parents, and adoptive families all have distinct needs. Progressive employers aiming to secure the world’s best international talent will gain an advantage by offering competitive and attractive paid parental leave policies and benefits programmes that specifically support working parents.

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Why is parental life-work balance so essential?

For a parent, 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. Such provisions give working parents time to adapt to the pressures of raising a child and, where applicable, to reintegrate into work after starting a family.

  • A sound parental life-work balance helps lower the risk of burnout; parents who are overworked are more prone to stress-related absence or illness.

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

  • Organisations that address parents' needs often see improved retention, with current and prospective parents more likely to remain loyal to family-friendly employers.

  • Employers demonstrating a commitment to parental life-work balance are likely to attract a broader pool of candidates, since inclusive policies appeal to potential hires.

  • Firms that implement flexible arrangements for parents can increase organisational agility and respond more effectively to unforeseen staffing challenges.

  • Clear and fair parental policies promote diversity and inclusion, ensuring employees' rights are upheld irrespective of their personal circumstances. Inclusive parenting policies are particularly important because family structures vary. We believe employers must support parents regardless of gender or sexual orientation, or whether a child joins a family through surrogacy or adoption. Fortunately, many countries are making progress in recognising the rights of all parents: Norway and Germany, for example, treat adoptive and biological parents equally in their parental leave arrangements. Nonetheless, some nations still need to make advances in recognising LGBTQIA+ families. Our comprehensive review of global parental support highlights the essential role that fair policies and inclusive workplace cultures play in enabling life-work balance for parents. This extends beyond generous parental leave and affordable childcare to cultivating a workplace where all families feel supported and respected. As we continue to address the complexities of modern work and family life, it is evident that recognising and meeting the unique needs of working parents is central to creating a healthier, happier workforce — setting a global benchmark for parental support that benefits everyone.

Methodology

We analysed data for 20 leading countries to identify which global players provide the best family and parental life-work balance for working parents. Countries were chosen according to population size and international economic presence — Russia, China, Ukraine and Israel were excluded due to ongoing socio-political issues. Data collection took place in February 2024. The index incorporated 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)

The metrics were weighted to reflect their relative importance and each country was awarded an overall score out of 100. Indicators showing high-to-low or low-to-high importance are noted above. *Where a range was available, the minimum figure was used.