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Global life-work balance index 2025

Considering a stronger life-work balance? See which countries lead the global benchmark in 2025.

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Why the leading life-work balance countries excel

In 2025, achieving life-work balance goes beyond simply managing time. Economic, technological and social forces affecting much of the global workforce make it essential to stress the value of harmony between personal life and work. Following Remote’s inaugural global study in 2023, we continue to publish this annual report to emphasise the growing need for life-work balance worldwide, highlighting nations making progress and those with more to do. The 2025 index groups steady performers with countries that have made significant gains and others that have regressed. The top ten prioritise factors such as time off and fair pay. Planning to relocate in 2025? Find which countries offer the strongest life-work balance.

Countries with the best life-work balance in 2025

By evaluating key employment-related measures such as statutory annual leave, access to healthcare, public safety and average weekly hours worked, we scored each of the world’s top 60 GDP nations on a life-work balance scale out of 100. Here are the ten countries that ranked highest.

RankCountry & Capital CityEU Region2025 Country PopulationIndex Score / 100Statutory annual leaveMinimum statutory sick pay percentagePaid maternity leave and payment rateMinimum wageHealthcare systemHappiness indexAverage hours per week per employed personLGBTQ+ InclusivitySafety: Global Peace Index RankingMimimum wage (local currency per hour unless otherwise stated)
1
New Zealand, Wellington
Oceania
5,251,900
86.59
20 11
80 - 100%
26 100
16.42
Universal government-funded health system
6.95
33.00
75
1.32
$23.50
2
Ireland, Dublin
Europe
5,308,040
81.17
20 10
70 - 100%
26 70
13.96
Universal government-funded health system
6.89
34.30
72
1.12
EUR 13.50
3
Belgium, Brussels
Europe
11,758,600
75.91
20 10
80 - 100%
15 75
14.58
Public insurance system
6.91
34.10
74
1.51
€12.33
4
Germany, Berlin
Europe
84,075,100
74.37
20 9
80 - 100%
14 100
15.16
Public-private social insurance system
6.75
33.20
81
1.54
€12.82
5
Norway, Oslo
Europe
5,623,070
74.20
25 10
80 - 100%
49 100
0.00
Universal government-funded health system
7.26
32.60
87
1.64
0.00
6
Denmark, Copenhagen
Europe
6,002,510
73.76
25 10
80 - 100%
18 100
0.00
Universal government-funded health system
7.52
32.50
80
1.38
0.00
7
Canada, Ottawa
Americas
40,126,700
72.89
10 5
80 - 100%
18 55
11.60
Universal government-funded health system
6.80
35.20
78
1.45
$17.75
8
Australia, Canberra
Oceania
26,974,000
71.53
20 8
80 - 100%
12 National Minimum Wage
18.12
Public-private insurance system
6.97
32.29
75
1.54
$24.95
9
Finland, Helsinki
Europe
5,623,330
71.42
24 14
80 - 100%
15 80
0.00
Universal government-funded health system
7.74
33.80
74
1.47
0.00
10
Spain, Madrid
Europe
47,890,000
70.53
23 8
Less than 60% of wages
16 100
8.39
Universal government-funded health system
6.47
36.30
83
1.60
€1,184 per month
new-zealand-employment-guide.webp

1. New Zealand

Overall index score: 86.59

If you plan to move overseas for work in 2025, New Zealand remains one of the top choices. Known as "The Land of the Long White Cloud" (the English rendering of the Māori name Aotearoa), it retains the number one spot for a third consecutive year and has improved on its 2024 score, partly because minimum wage rose slightly.

What makes New Zealand favourable for life-work balance? Scenic surroundings help, but more importantly the country posts consistently strong results across our measures — notably statutory annual leave, public happiness, safety and minimum wage, where it ranks second among the nations studied.

Kiwi culture places value on hard work, yet as the New Zealand government’s guide to the NZ way of working notes, "Life is for living and employers generally respect that."

New Zealand employment guide
ireland-employment-guide.webp

2. Ireland

Overall index score: 81.17

Ireland keeps its second-place position in 2025. Known for its warm and welcoming people, the country associated with St Paddy’s Day ranks, alongside Austria, among the safest places to live and work in our analysis.

The Emerald Isle performs strongly across multiple measures, including a relatively high minimum wage and a generous maternity leave policy — offering 26 weeks of leave at a 70% income payment rate. Workplace culture in Ireland often balances hard work with a strong sense of community and camaraderie.

Ireland employment guide
belgium-employment-guide.webp

3. Belgium

Overall index score: 75.91

Life-work balance has become as notable in Belgian culture as its chocolate, waffles and beer. Belgium holds a high minimum wage relative to many European peers (surpassed only by the United Kingdom and Germany in our sample), which supports its strong score.

Belgium also ranks well for statutory sick pay and maternity payment rates, and its happiness rating is among the highest in Europe at 6.91/10. Average working weeks are relatively short at about 34.1 hours compared with many other countries.

Belgium employment guide
germany-employment-guide.webp

4. Germany

Overall index score: 74.37

Climbing two places from 2024, Germany moves into fourth in our 2025 index. Punctuality and professionalism are often cited as German values, but there is also a strong focus on efficiency and working smarter rather than longer, which helps explain its favourable life-work balance.

Several developments supported Germany’s improved score in 2025, notably an increase in statutory sick pay, particularly benefiting parents. We also observed a modest rise in overall happiness, a reduction in average weekly hours, and improved LGBTQ+ inclusivity since 2024.

Germany employment guide
norway-employment-guide.webp

5. Norway

Overall index score: 74.20

Making the largest leap among the top ten, Norway rises from ninth in 2024 to fifth in 2025. This improvement owes much to an extension of parental leave options (Norway offers the most generous parental leave of the countries studied), and a slight reduction in working hours. At 32.6 hours, Norway has one of Europe’s shortest average work weeks.

Norwegian work culture emphasises equality and cooperation, and it ranks as the most LGBTQ+-inclusive country on our list. Like other Nordic nations, Norway also scores highly for public happiness.

Norway employment guide
denmark-employment-guide.webp

6. Denmark

Overall index score: 73.76

Danes are widely associated with a healthy separation between personal life and work. Many attribute Denmark’s consistently high happiness levels to a cultural emphasis on balance — with the Danish fondness for hygge playing a part.

Although Denmark dropped out of the top three this year (it shared third place with Belgium in 2024), it remains synonymous with high quality of life — second only to Finland for public happiness. It also has one of the shortest average work weeks at 32.5 hours and is considered very safe and LGBTQ+-friendly.

Denmark employment guide
canada-employment-guide.webp

7. Canada

Overall index score: 72.89

Canada slips two places this year but remains the sole American continent country in the top ten for life-work balance. In contrast to its southern neighbour (the United States placed 59th of 60), Canada posts solid results across our 2025 measures.

For example, Canada ranks highly for statutory sick pay and performs well on public safety and LGBTQ+ inclusivity. Unlike the U.S., it also provides a universal government-funded healthcare system.

Canadian workplaces value punctuality and reliability, while employees generally keep a healthy boundary between work and family life.

Canada employment guide
australia-employment-guide.webp

8. Australia

Overall index score: 71.53

Australia is widely perceived as relaxed, with a culture that embraces a "no-worries" outlook. That attitude is reflected in many workplaces, which favour openness and egalitarian values. The country retains eighth place for life-work balance for a second consecutive year.

Although Australia trails its Antipodean neighbour New Zealand across most categories, it records the highest minimum wage among the countries we studied — the equivalent of $18.12 in U.S. dollars. Unsurprisingly, Australians tend to work shorter weeks (around 32.29 hours) and enjoy a lifestyle with plenty of outdoor time.

Australia employment guide
finland-employment-guide.webp

9. Finland

Overall index score: 71.42

Closing out the top ten is Finland, which is again named the happiest country in the world in 2025 according to a recent study. Finns have topped global happiness rankings for several years, often credited to high societal trust, freedom and a close relationship with nature.

Finland fell two places in our life-work balance ranking this year — partly due to a small decline in LGBTQ+ inclusivity — but it remains in the top ten thanks to its strong happiness score, generous statutory annual leave, high sick-pay rates and a relatively short average working week.

Finland employment guide
spain-employment-guide.webp

10. Spain

Overall index score: 70.53

Is the traditional Spanish "siesta" stereotype still accurate? Possibly not — most Spaniards never take a midday nap — yet Spain still maintains a generally healthy attitude to work and life, holding its top-ten position for a second year.

Although Spain’s public happiness rating is lower than some other European nations, it scores well across the measured factors. Spain ranks as the second-most LGBTQ+-friendly country of the 60 analysed, and workers benefit from generous annual leave and solid maternity payment provisions.

Spain employment guide

Leading performers in 2025

Securing the top spot for a third consecutive year, New Zealand reinforces its lead in 2025, raising its score by nearly 6 points in part due to a modest minimum wage rise.

Global life-work balance highlights

Finland again tops the happiness index in 2025, with Nordic and Scandinavian countries performing particularly well. Denmark, Sweden, the Netherlands and Norway complete the top five happiest countries.

Major changes in life-work balance in 2025

Following a minimum wage increase that took effect in January 2025 and a rise in public happiness, Argentina’s score climbed by more than 8 points, moving the country from 19th to 14th in 2025.

What is life-work balance & why is it important in 2025?

We avoid the phrase “work-life balance” because it suggests priorities are reversed. Life-work balance puts life first and sees work as supporting a fulfilling life rather than defining it. Life-work balance cannot be reduced to hours on the clock; it is a complex concept. Our study therefore aims to provide a rounded view of what it means to live and work well in different regions. We also recognise that life-work balance has no single universal definition — it varies by person and culture. Our goal is to outline key statutory benefits and workplace systems worldwide that support a life-first approach. Globally, life-work balance underpins physical and mental wellbeing. Everyone deserves time and freedom to participate fully in life 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 is more critical than ever

For the first time, life-work balance ranks as the number-one motivator for employees worldwide, with workplace flexibility outweighing salary in importance in a recent survey of thousands of international workers.

Why has life-work balance become non-negotiable in today’s work environment?

  • Employees expect flexibility. In our recent Remote Workforce Report, 73% of hiring leaders reported losing staff to organisations that offer greater flexibility.

  • Boundaries are increasingly blurred. Widespread hybrid and remote working brings many benefits, but it can make it harder for employees to ‘disconnect.’

  • We live in an always-on culture. Technology has widened our reach, and expectations for 24/7 responsiveness have grown.

  • Economic uncertainty is widespread. With rising costs of living globally, many employees overwork to remain relevant and secure in their roles.

  • Parental responsibilities are taking a toll. Almost three-quarters of the global workforce have some form of caregiving responsibility to juggle alongside their careers.

  • AI has added pressure. While AI can boost productivity, it also feeds fears of redundancy and the need for continual reskilling.

Our findings show that countries such as New Zealand and many European nations support employees with life-first policies, while nations like the United States risk a burnout crisis by continuing to favour long hours and limited paid leave.

Absent decisive intervention, this trend will deplete the talent pool and weaken the workforce’s future resilience.

Life-work balance index survey methodology

As leaders in global HR and employment, we analysed data for the world’s top 60 GDP countries to determine which global players offer employees the best life-work balance. The top 60 GDP countries were selected as a representative global sample. The study reviewed the following indicators:

  • Statutory annual leave (total paid leave days, including public holidays)*

  • Minimum statutory sick pay (percentage of wage or a flat amount)*

  • Statutory maternity leave (weeks paid)*

  • Statutory maternity leave payment rate (percentage of wage)*

  • Minimum wage (USD per hour)*

  • Healthcare status

  • Happiness index score (1–10, 10 being highest)

  • Average hours worked per week per employed person

  • LGBTQ+ inclusivity (0–100, 100 being highest; Legal Index measures legal rights and freedoms, while the Public Opinion Index records general public attitudes in each region)

  • Safety: Global Peace Index (1–4, lower is better)

The aim was to present each country’s life-work balance accurately, reframing "work-life balance" to show how employers in each country care for employees’ lives and prioritise life before work.

Metrics were weighted to reflect relative importance and combined to give each country a score out of 100. Rankings run from highest to lowest for most indicators, except healthcare (ranked out of five, with one best) and average weekly hours and safety (ranked from lowest to best).

Data were pulled and analysed in April 2025.

(*) When a range was offered, the minimum amount was listed.