September 3, 2025 | 05:00 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - In today’s fast-paced world, more people are recognizing the importance of maintaining a healthy balance between work and personal life. While a good salary ensures the lights stay on and food is on the table, employees are increasingly prioritizing health, happiness, and meaningful social connections.
In response to this growing awareness, Remote released the Global Life-Work Balance Index 2025, evaluating 60 of the world’s largest economies. The index measures which countries offer the most supportive environments for employees to "live and work well." Rankings are based on key factors including paid leave, sick leave, maternity policies, minimum wage, healthcare, happiness, working hours, LGBTQ+ inclusivity, and public safety.
Unsurprisingly, New Zealand has once again been crowned the country with the best work-life balance, for the third consecutive year. With an impressive score of 86.87, not only did it perform strongly across every measured category, it also showed improvement in several areas.
Framed by stunning natural landscapes, New Zealand’s work culture supports a well-rounded lifestyle. According to Working In New Zealand, the country's success can be attributed to several key factors:
- An impressive 32 days of legally mandated annual leave, placing it among the world’s most generous
- A standout maternity policy, with half a year of pay funded by the state
- Ranked #2 for minimum wage across 60 countries, offering about NZ$23.50 hourly
- Universal healthcare, publicly funded and accessible to all
- A safe society valuing inclusivity and public safety, as well as towards LGBTQ+ equality
More than just policies, New Zealand promotes a lifestyle where "life is for living,” for which the employers generally respect that philosophy. It’s common for workers to spend time outdoors, connect with family, and engage with their local communities—all are essential habits that promote mental health, strong relationships, and overall well-being.
Closely following New Zealand are Ireland and Belgium. Ireland scored 81.17, bolstered by strong performance in minimum wage and maternity leave policy. Belgium recorded a 75.91, helped by its sick pay and maternity-payment rate.
While many countries are improving their life-work balance, the United States continues to lag behind, ranking 59th out of 60. Key shortcomings include lack of paid parental leave and private healthcare systems, as well as declining public safety and LGBTQ+ equality scores.
List of the Best Countries with Work-Life Balance
Here’s how the top countries stack up when it comes to work-life balance:
- New Zealand - 86.87
- Ireland - 81.17
- Belgium - 75.91
- Germany - 74.65
- Norway - 74.20
- Denmark - 73.76
- Canada - 73.46
- Australia - 72.10
- Spain - 71.94
- Finland - 70.86
Editor’s Choice: 10 Top States to Work in the U.S. Based on Life-Work Balance Index
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