Stressed about your office commute? Burnt out from long weeks at your desk? Maybe you need to move to one of the best countries for work-life balance.
Remote, a global HR platform used by some of the world’s largest brands, has studied the working culture of the 60 highest-GDP nations around the world, to highlight countries that seemingly get it right when it comes to a healthy “life-work” balance.
While you’re more likely to see the term styled as “work-life balance,” the stylistic choice reflects Remote’s view that this is a miscalculation: “The attitude should be life first, work second.”
Remote’s study factors in statutory annual leave, minimum statutory sick pay percentage, paid maternity leave and payment rate, minimum wage, healthcare system, happiness index, average hours worked per week, and LGBTQ+ inclusivity.
Below are the 10 countries in the world right now that perfectly strike the balance between life and work.
1. New Zealand
Index score: 79.35
New Zealand takes the top spot in Remote’s ranking of the best countries in the world for a life-work balance. Kiwis enjoy a generous annual leave allowance and a high minimum wage, while new mothers benefit from 26 weeks of paid maternity leave.
With this in mind, it’s little surprise that the country is as popular a destination as ever among those looking to carve out a new life overseas. After all, where better to relocate to than the country full of those incredible Lord of the Rings backdrops.
2. Spain
Index score: 75.55
Is there anything more quintessentially Spanish than the afternoon siesta? While a midday snooze isn’t part of everyday life in the cities’ corporate hubs, folks in Spain evidently know how to strike the right balance between business and pleasure.
Best of all, Madrid is one of Europe’s most exciting cultural hubs, meaning there’s always something to do when the laptop is tucked away after another working week.
3. France
Index score: 75.34
Coming in at number three is France and, in turn, a masterclass in life-work balance from one of the most populated European countries. The French have a notoriously healthy attitude to separating work and play, but it comes at no detriment to the economy:
France currently has the seventh-highest GDP in the world. While the City of Light is a popular choice for relocating workers, there are hundreds of smaller villages and towns beyond Paris that offer a slower pace of life altogether.
4. Australia
Index score: 73.71
They’ve got year-round sunshine, friendly faces, some of the best beaches on the planet, and a laidback culture that’s reflected in the country’s life-work balance. It’s no surprise that Australia ranks among the top five in the world and continues to attract millions of tourists each year.
While some visit for a few years on a gap year-style break or sabbatical, many others stick around, enticed by a decent minimum wage, a high happiness index ranking, and all the benefits that the funded healthcare system brings.
Denmark
Index score: 73.67
Denmark ranks just behind Finland on the happiness index, so expect smiles all around. Thanks to high tax rates, workers benefit from generous annual leave policies, full sick pay, and universal healthcare and education.
It’s also one of Europe’s most inclusive countries and famously LGBTQ+-friendly. Our take? Copenhagen’s fashionable streets await.
cntraveler
