What is life-work balance & why does it matter in 2025?
We avoid the conventional phrase “work-life balance,” which we see as backwards in both sense and spirit. We prefer life-work balance to make clear that life takes precedence and work should enhance, not dominate, it. Life-work balance is not just about hours spent at work or time remaining for personal activities; it’s more complex. Our study aims to offer a rounded picture of what living and working well looks like across regions. We recognise there’s no single definition — life-work balance varies by person and culture. Rather than generalise, we outline the core statutory benefits and workplace systems worldwide that support a strong life-work balance. Globally, life-work balance remains essential for physical and mental wellbeing. Everyone should have time and freedom to participate meaningfully in life outside 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 is increasingly essential
For the first time, life-work balance now tops the list of employee motivators globally, with workplace flexibility outranking pay in importance in a recent survey of thousands of international workers.
What is driving life-work balance to become non-negotiable in today’s workplaces?
Employees are calling for flexibility. According to our recent Remote Workforce Report, 73% of hiring leaders reported losing employees to companies that offer greater flexibility.
The boundaries have become blurred. The spread of hybrid and remote working brings benefits, but it can make it tougher for people to ‘disconnect.’
We exist in an always-on culture. Technology has expanded what we can do, yet expectations for 24/7 responsiveness have risen.
Economic uncertainty is widespread. With living costs climbing around the world, many employees are working longer hours to remain relevant and keep their roles secure.
Parental demands are taking a toll. Almost three-quarters of the global workforce have some kind of caregiving responsibility to juggle alongside their careers.
AI has added to worker stress. While AI can help us work smarter, it also fans fears of redundancy and the ongoing need to develop new skills.
Our study shows that countries such as New Zealand and many in Europe are backing employees with worker-first policies that support life-work balance, while nations like the United States risk sliding into a burnout epidemic because a culture of long hours and limited paid leave persists.
If decisive action isn’t taken, this approach will sap the talent pool and undermine the future resilience of the workforce.
Life-Work Balance Index survey methodology
As leaders in global HR and employment, we analysed index data from the world’s top 60 GDP countries to identify which international player provides employees with the strongest 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; 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 aim was to give an accurate portrayal of each country’s life-work balance, reframing the familiar notion of “work-life balance” to highlight how employers in each country support employees’ lives and prioritise life over work.
Metrics were weighted to reflect their relative importance, producing an overall score out of 100 for each country. All data points were ranked from highest to lowest, except for the healthcare rating (ranked out of five, with one being the best) and both average weekly hours worked and the safety score, which were ranked from lowest to highest.
Data were pulled and analysed in April 2025.
(*) When a range was offered, the minimum amount was listed.
