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Parental life-work balance index

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

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What does parental life-work balance mean?

Life-work balance (yes, deliberately in that order) describes a healthy equilibrium between our personal and professional lives. It is a structure that enables us to carry out our duties effectively and advance in our careers while still setting aside time for family, personal interests outside work, and other commitments. As many working parents will attest, raising children is a full-time responsibility, and combining childcare with employment can be demanding — especially during a child’s early years. Parental life-work balance acknowledges this reality, emphasizing the need for support for working families so they can balance household responsibilities with the demands of a career. Parental life-work balance covers a range of considerations beyond statutory policies like maternity and paternity leave. While legal leave and pay are essential for working parents, issues such as childcare, education, healthcare, and the cost of living are equally influential for families. At Remote, we strongly advocate for the benefits of a harmonious life-work balance. Preserving that balance helps reduce burnout, boost productivity, and, ultimately, foster a happier, healthier workforce. Accounting for a range of factors that shape working parents’ lives — such as parental leave policies, annual leave entitlements, childcare expenses, and access to healthcare — we have analyzed 20 of the world’s foremost countries for parental life-work balance to determine which nations prioritize families and recognize parents’ rights by putting family first.

Top 20 countries leading on parental life-work balance

We selected 20 prominent countries based on population size and global economic presence, gathered data across family-focused metrics, and scored each nation in every category. Each country was then given an overall index score, allowing us to rank the 20 from the most to the least family-friendly.

Overall index score

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1. Norway

Overall index score: 79.57

Like the Northern Lights that frequently grace its skies, Norway leads our list with an overall index score of 79.57. Norwegian workplace culture emphasizes equality and life-work balance, with numerous employers providing flexible schedules 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 comparatively high public spending to family benefits. Although the nation has a relatively high cost of living, it provides universal healthcare and a fairly generous statutory annual leave allowance.

Guide to employment in Norway
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2. Sweden

Overall index score: 78.01

Bordering Norway along a stretch of approximately 1,600 km, Sweden follows closely in our parental life-work balance ranking. The country is deeply committed to workplace wellbeing — many firms provide “wellness allowances” — and Swedish work culture is known for openness, trust, and low hierarchical barriers.

Sweden ranks among the leading countries for childcare, allocating a larger share of GDP to pre-primary education than any other nation and maintaining relatively low childcare fees. The country also demonstrates a firm commitment to gender equality in its parental leave policies, having been the first nation to implement gender-neutral parental leave in 1974.

Sweden employment guide
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3. Denmark

Overall index score: 77.23

Reinforcing Scandinavia’s leadership in workplace parental support, Denmark completes our top three. The Danes are often cited as among the happiest people on earth, a status that likely reflects the nation’s healthy approach to work — where results matter more than the timing or location of work.

As shown in our earlier European Life-Work Balance Index, life-work balance is fundamental to Danish culture, with citizens benefiting from generous statutory annual leave. Denmark is also regarded as one of the safest nations for families, and public spending on childcare, family benefits, and pre-primary education surpasses that of many countries.

Guide to employment in Denmark
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4. Spain

Overall index score: 72.62

Spain’s strong showing is unsurprising — having placed second in our 2023 Global Work-Life Balance Index — thanks to a work culture that prioritizes wellbeing and, of course, an average of about 3,000 hours of annual sunshine. Many Spaniards continue the tradition of a mid-afternoon siesta, which helps them recharge before resuming work later in the day.

No country in our index offers more generous combined maternity and paternity provisions (including 12 weeks of paid paternity leave), and Spain’s relatively modest cost of living makes it an affordable environment for family life. Statutory annual leave in Spain is also among the most generous in Europe.

Guide to employment in Spain
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5. New Zealand

Overall index score: 71.76

The top-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 claimed the #1 spot in our 2023 global index for its balanced approach to life and work. While diligence is valued in New Zealand culture, taking time for activities outside of work is equally important.

Although childcare can be relatively costly, New Zealand offers one of the highest national minimum wages in the world. It is widely regarded as a safe country for families, and New Zealanders — affectionately known as Kiwis — benefit from generous annual leave entitlements and strong overall happiness metrics.

Guide to employment in New Zealand
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6. Poland

Overall index score: 70.26

With a rich cultural heritage, Poland is not typically celebrated for its work-life balance — many organizations favor hierarchy, and the Polish saying “punktualność jest złotem” (punctuality is golden) reflects that mindset — but the country remains one of the most affordable places to raise children, with a low cost of living, economical childcare, and substantial state support for family benefits.

Beyond reasonably generous statutory maternity and paternity leave packages, parents in Poland can share up to 32 weeks of parental leave. It is important to note, however, that the country does not recognize LGBTQ+ couples, meaning same-sex parents do not receive equal legal rights.

Poland employment guide
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7. Italy

Overall index score: 66.90

Many people admire the Italian way of life. With world-renowned cuisine, a cultural heritage steeped in art and fashion, and pleasant weather for much of the year, Italians also place great value on family — most households remain close-knit, with a strong emphasis on shared time.

Workplace culture in Italy tends to be fairly hierarchical and embraces a “work hard, play hard” ethos, yet the country is generally supportive of working parents thanks to a relatively low cost of living and accessible childcare. Italian parents may utilise nine months of leave, with three months reserved for each parent and an additional three months that can be shared.

Italy employment guide
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8. France

Overall index score: 66.43

Alongside their Italian neighbours, the French are renowned for appreciating the good life. Daily life in France often focuses on savouring small moments, and the country is also recognised for achieving a healthy balance between life and work, with one of the shortest average working weeks in Europe.

France offers the largest statutory annual leave entitlement of any country on our list and contributes the most, financially, to family benefits — though this advantage can be offset by a relatively high cost of living and comparatively expensive childcare.

France employment guide
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9. Germany

Overall index score: 65.57

As one of Europe’s largest and most populous countries, Germany is often associated with precision and pragmatism. These traits influence its working culture — Germans typically have longer average working weeks than many European neighbours — but the country nonetheless offers reasonable support to working families.

In particular, Germany allocates a high share of GDP to family-related benefits and has relatively low childcare costs compared with countries such as France and the United Kingdom. While there is no single government-funded healthcare system, most residents are covered by statutory health insurance programs.

Guide to employment in Germany
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10. Japan

Overall index score: 61.85

Closing out the top 10 is the highest-ranked Asian nation on our list. The working culture in Japan is frequently marked by intense dedication to career — with long hours being common — which may explain why it placed lower in our 2023 Global Life-Work Balance Index, coming in at #38 out of the 60 countries analyzed.

Nevertheless, although Japan’s holiday and parental leave policies remain relatively restrictive, it is regarded as one of the safest countries for families. The average cost of living is comparatively low, and childcare expenses are lower than in many countries in our index, which helps make Japan the most family-oriented nation in Asia.

Japan employment guide

Why do parental support policies matter so much?

For working parents, maintaining a healthy life-work balance can be especially difficult. The mix of job duties and childcare responsibilities frequently leaves scant time for rest. Nearly 9 in 10 families have at least one working parent, underscoring the urgent need for employers to recognize parents’ rights in the workplace. Parental support is a cornerstone of a positive work culture, enabling organizations to attract and retain top talent who have—or intend to have—children. Company policies are only one part of the solution. In the age of remote work, parents have greater agency to relocate their families if another location promises a better future.

"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.

Aspects like affordable childcare, educational investment, and overall cost of living are equally significant for working parents, and different family types assess these factors differently — LGBTQIA+ couples with children, surrogates and intended parents, and adoptive families all have distinct needs. Ambitious organizations seeking the world’s top international talent will gain by offering competitive and attractive paid parental leave policies, along with benefits programs that include explicit provisions to support working parents.

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Why is parental life-work balance so essential?

For parents, an employer who recognizes the need for flexibility and support at work is indispensable, as it enables you to perform optimally both as an employee and as a caregiver. Such policies give working parents the time to adapt to the demands of raising a child and, where relevant, ease the transition back into work after starting a family.

  • A healthy parental life-work balance helps reduce burnout, whereas overworked parents are more prone to absenteeism due to stress or illness.

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

  • Companies that support parents’ needs can improve retention, since current and prospective parents are more likely to remain with family-friendly employers.

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

  • Firms that implement flexible parental policies can increase organizational agility, enabling faster responses to unexpected staffing challenges.

  • Fair and transparent parental policies help nurture diversity and inclusion by ensuring employees’ rights are respected regardless of personal circumstances. Inclusive parenting policies are particularly important because families do not all conform to a 'traditional' model. We believe employers bear a responsibility to provide parental support irrespective of the parents' gender or sexual orientation, or whether a child has joined the family via surrogacy or adoption. Fortunately, many countries are starting to acknowledge the rights of all parents — countries like Norway and Germany offer parental leave policies that treat adoptive and biological parents equally. Nonetheless, several nations still have progress to make and do not yet recognize the rights of LGBTQIA+ couples. Our comprehensive review of global parental support highlights the crucial role that equitable policies and inclusive workplace cultures play in enabling life-work balance for parents. This goes beyond providing generous parental leave and affordable childcare; it also means cultivating an environment in which all families feel respected and supported. As we navigate the evolving dynamics of modern work and family life, it becomes clear that the route to a happier, healthier workforce is through recognizing and addressing the distinctive needs of working parents — thereby helping to establish a global standard of parental support that benefits everyone.

Methodology

We carried out an index analysis of 20 leading countries to identify which global players provide the best family and parental life-work balance for working parents. Countries were chosen based on population size and global economic significance — Russia, China, Ukraine, and Israel were excluded due to ongoing socio-political circumstances. The data were collected in February 2024. The index considered the following metrics:

  • Statutory maternity and paternity packages (lower is better)*
  • Statutory annual leave (total days of paid leave, including public holidays)*
  • Safety: Global Peace Index score (lower is better)
  • Cost of living index score (lower is better)
  • Childcare costs: price ranking by country for preschool (or kindergarten), full day, private, monthly for 1 child
  • OECD public expenditure on family benefits, in percent of GDP (higher is better)
  • OECD public expenditure on childcare and pre-primary education, in percent of GDP (higher is better)
  • Healthcare status (rating, lower is better)
  • Happiness Index (higher is better)

The metrics were weighted to reflect their relative importance, giving each country an overall score out of 100. Whether a data point is weighted high-to-low or low-to-high is noted above. *When a range was offered, the minimum amount was listed.