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Parental life-work balance index

Which country provides the best setting to raise children? Our analysis highlights the nations that put parental life-work balance at the forefront.

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How do we define parental life-work balance?

Life-work balance (intentionally stated in that order) refers to a sustainable balance between personal and professional responsibilities. As many working parents will attest, raising children is a full-time commitment and combining childcare with job duties can be difficult — particularly during a child’s early years. Parental life-work balance acknowledges these pressures and underlines the need for support so families can manage both caregiving and career demands. Parental life-work balance covers more than statutory provisions such as maternity and paternity leave; childcare availability, education, healthcare access, and the cost of living are equally important considerations for parents. At Remote, we strongly support the benefits of a balanced life-work approach. Preserving that balance helps prevent burnout, improves productivity, and contributes to a happier, healthier workforce. Factoring in multiple elements that affect working parents — including parental leave policies, annual leave entitlements, childcare costs, and healthcare access — we assessed 20 leading countries to determine which are prioritising families in their public policy and social supports.

Top 20 leading countries for parental life-work balance

We selected 20 prominent countries based on population size and global economic influence, gathered family-related data for a number of categories, and scored each nation on its performance. Each country then received an overall index score, allowing us to rank the 20 from most to least family friendly.

Overall index score

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1. Norway

Overall index score: 79.57

Gleaming like the Northern Lights often visible above this Scandinavian nation, Norway leads our ranking with an overall score of 79.57. Norwegian workplaces place strong emphasis on equality and balance between life and work, and many employers provide flexible hours and remote-working options.

Alongside one of the world’s most generous parental leave schemes (working mothers can access 54 weeks of paid maternity leave), Norway invests heavily in family benefits. Although the comparable cost of living is high, the country offers universal healthcare and a relatively generous annual leave allowance.

Norway employment guide
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2. Sweden

Overall index score: 78.01

Bordering Norway for some 1,600 km, Sweden closely follows its neighbour in parental life-work balance. The nation demonstrates a robust focus on workplace wellbeing — many companies provide "wellness allowances" — while Swedish workplace culture is known for openness, trust and a flat hierarchy.

Sweden ranks highly for childcare provision, allocating a larger share of GDP to pre-primary education than any other country and keeping childcare costs comparatively affordable. The nation also has a strong dedication to gender equality in its parental leave policies, being the first country to introduce gender-neutral parental leave in 1974.

Sweden employment guide
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3. Denmark

Overall index score: 77.23

Scandinavia continues to set the benchmark for parental workplace support, with Denmark completing the top three. Danes are often cited as among the happiest people globally, a reflection in part of a culture that values outcomes over when or where work happens.

As shown in our earlier European Life-Work Balance Index, life-work balance is embedded in Danish culture, with generous statutory annual leave and high public spending on childcare, family benefits and early education. Denmark is also regarded as one of the safest countries for families.

Denmark employment guide
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4. Spain

Overall index score: 72.62

Spain’s strong showing aligns with its second-place finish in our 2023 Global Work-Life Balance Index, reflecting a working culture that values wellbeing — and, of course, extensive annual sunshine. Many people in Spain maintain a mid-afternoon siesta, which helps them recharge before resuming work later.

No country in our index offers more generous combined maternity and paternity leave, with 12 weeks of paid paternity leave included. A relatively low cost of living also makes Spain an affordable option for raising a family, and statutory annual leave entitlements are among Europe’s most generous.

Spain employment guide
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5. New Zealand

Overall index score: 71.76

The highest-ranked non-European entry is the Antipodean nation of New Zealand. Frequently cited as one of the world’s most scenic countries, New Zealand also topped our 2023 global index for its healthy balance between life and work. The culture values hard work but equally makes space 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 has one of the higher minimum wages globally and is seen as a very safe country, making it attractive for family life. Kiwis also benefit from generous annual leave and a high overall happiness rating.

New Zealand employment guide
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6. Poland

Overall index score: 70.26

With a deep cultural heritage, Poland is not usually associated with a relaxed work-life approach — many organisations retain hierarchical structures and punctuality is highly valued — yet it stands out as one of the more affordable nations to raise children, offering low living costs, economical childcare and strong state support for family benefits.

Beyond 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 grant equal recognition to LGBTQ+ couples, so same-sex parents do not receive the same legal rights.

Poland employment guide
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7. Italy

Overall index score: 66.90

Many admire the Italian way of life: superb cuisine, a rich cultural scene in art and fashion, and a generally pleasant climate. Family ties are strong in Italy, with an emphasis on spending time together.

Italian workplaces often remain hierarchical and embrace a "work hard, play hard" ethos, but for working parents the country can be favourable thanks to a relatively low cost of living and accessible childcare. Italian parents have access to nine months of leave, allocated as three months for each parent and a further three months to be shared between them.

Italy employment guide
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8. France

Overall index score: 66.43

French life is often associated with savouring everyday pleasures, and the country is also known for achieving a sound life-work balance, with one of the shortest average working weeks in Europe.

France provides the most generous statutory annual leave entitlement among the countries we surveyed and contributes the largest public funds towards family benefits, although this is balanced against a relatively high cost of living and elevated childcare expenses.

France employment guide
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9. Germany

Overall index score: 65.57

As one of Europe’s largest and most populous nations, Germany is often associated with precision and pragmatism, traits that influence workplace norms. Average working weeks can be longer than in some neighbouring countries, yet Germany generally provides solid support for working families.

Specifically, Germany directs a significant share of GDP to family-related benefits and tends to have lower childcare costs than countries such as France and the United Kingdom. Although there is no government-run healthcare system, most residents are covered through statutory health insurance schemes.

Germany employment guide
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10. Japan

Overall index score: 61.85

Closing out the top 10 is the highest-ranked Asian nation in our index. Japan’s work culture is frequently marked by intense dedication and long hours, which is likely why it placed lower in our 2023 Japan is often characterized by extreme dedication to one’s career — with long working hours common — which is perhaps why it didn’t rank quite so highly in our 2023 Global Life-Work Balance Index, where it ranked #38 out of 60 countries.

Despite comparatively restrictive holiday and parental leave policies, Japan is widely regarded as a very safe environment for families, with a relatively low average cost of living and childcare costs that are lower than in many other countries in our index, making it Asia’s most family-oriented nation in this study.

Japan employment guide

Why do parental support policies matter so much?

For working parents, maintaining a healthy life-work balance can be especially demanding. Balancing job responsibilities with childcare often leaves little opportunity for recovery. Nearly 9 in 10 families include at least one working parent, underlining the importance for employers to recognise parental needs at work. Parental support contributes to a positive workplace, helping firms attract and keep top talent who are parents or planning to start a family. Policy is only part of the solution. With remote work, parents increasingly have the option to relocate their families to locations that offer a better quality of life.

"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.

Elements such as affordable childcare, investment in education and overall living costs are equally important to working parents, and individual families evaluate these factors differently — LGBTQIA+ couples, surrogate parents, intended parents and adoptive families each have distinct needs. Ambitious employers seeking top international talent will gain from offering competitive and attractive paid parental leave policies and benefits packages that specifically support parents.

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Why is parental life-work balance so important?

For parents, an employer that allows flexibility and provides support is essential because it enables them to perform effectively both as employees and caregivers. This support helps parents adapt to the demands of raising a child and, where relevant, to return to work after starting a family.

  • A healthy parental life-work balance reduces burnout; parents who are overworked are likelier to be absent due to stress or illness.

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

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

  • Employers who show genuine commitment to parental life-work balance may attract a larger candidate pool, as inclusive policies appeal to potential hires.

  • Companies that implement flexible policies for parents can enhance organisational agility, enabling rapid responses to unforeseen staffing challenges.

  • Clear and fair parental policies foster diversity and inclusion, ensuring employees’ rights are respected regardless of personal circumstances. Inclusive parenting policies are especially important because family structures vary. Employers should provide parental support irrespective of a parent’s gender or sexual orientation, or whether a child joined the family via surrogacy or adoption. Fortunately, many countries are improving recognition of all parents’ rights; nations like Norway and Germany treat adoptive and biological parents equally in their leave policies. However, some countries still lag in recognising LGBTQIA+ families. Our global review of parental support highlights how essential fair policies and inclusive workplace cultures are to achieving life-work balance for parents. This goes beyond generous leave and affordable childcare to creating an environment where all families feel valued and supported. As work and family life evolve, the route to a healthier, more satisfied workforce depends on recognising and addressing the distinct needs of working parents — establishing worldwide standards for parental support that benefit everyone.

Methodology

We analysed data across 20 leading countries to determine which global players offer the best parental and family life-work balance. Countries were chosen for their population size and economic presence — Russia, China, Ukraine and Israel were excluded because of ongoing socio-political issues. The data were gathered in February 2024. The index evaluated 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)

We adjusted the metrics with index weightings to reflect their relative importance, producing an overall score out of 100 for each country. High-to-low or low-to-high weightings for data points are indicated above. *When a range was provided, the minimum value was recorded.