Annual Life-Work Balance Index reveals the best and worst countries for life-work balance around the globe. It investigates everything from average work hours to public safety to determine where the healthiest life-work culture is in 2025. The Global Life-Work Balance Index 2025 is the third annual index report published by Remote, the global authority on remote employment. The company has ranked the top 60 GDP nations based on several workplace factors like statutory annual leave, paid maternity leave, sick leave, healthcare, public safety, public happiness, LGBTQ+ inclusivity, and average work hours per employee. 

The 2025 Index assesses each country using a ‘life-work balance score’ out of 100. For example, the United States ranks near the bottom with a score of just 31.17, while New Zealand tops the list for the third year in a row, scoring 86.87. 

Key Findings

• New Zealand tops Remote’s Index once again. It has increased its life-work balance score from last year by more than six points. 
• European countries continue to rank consistently well. 16 European nations appear in the top 20, while Ireland, Belgium, Germany, and Norway round out the top five. 
• Argentina is a significant riser in 2025. The South American nation has risen by six places to 14th. It’s one of the top-ranked countries in the Americas, behind only Canada (seventh). 
• The United States has dropped even further down the list. The country with the largest economy ranks 59th out of the top 60 GDP nations for life-work balance. 

Commenting on the newly released index and the importance of life-work balance, Chief People Officer at Remote, Barbara Matthews,

“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.”

Are you surprised by any of this year’s life-work balance scores? Here are the top countries from Remote’s 2025 index results: 

1. New Zealand — 86.87 

Holding its place at the top of Remote’s life-work balance index for the third year in a row, New Zealand has significantly improved its score by over six points compared to the previous year. The country doesn’t rank number one for every factor assessed, but scores consistently well across the study, particularly in areas like statutory annual leave, public happiness, safety, and minimum wage (where it is ranked the second-highest of all countries assessed).

2. Ireland — 81.17

Ireland retains its position two ranking in 2025, making it the highest performing European nation for life-work balance. The Emerald Isle scores well across the board, with a relatively high minimum wage and a generous maternity leave policy compared to many other countries (with 26 weeks off at 70% of income payment rate). The work culture in Ireland tends to favor a balance between hard work and a real sense of community and camaraderie.

3. Belgium — 75.91

Belgium scores well across several metrics, including statutory sick pay and maternity payment rate, while the country’s happiness rating is among the highest in Europe at 6.91/10. Belgians also work relatively short working weeks (34.1 hours) on average compared to many of their overseas counterparts. Notably, it has one of the highest minimum wages in Europe, topped only by the United Kingdom and Germany. 

4. Germany — 74.65 

Rising two places from the 2024 ranking, Germany climbs to the top five on Remote’s 2025 Global Life Work Balance Index. Several factors have contributed to Germany’s improved score in 2025, but a key change is an increase in statutory sick pay, especially for parents. Additionally, there’s been a slight increase in overall happiness and a decrease in the average hours worked per week, while the country’s LGBTQ+ inclusivity has improved since 2024, too.

5. Norway — 74.20

Norway has seen the biggest improvement among countries ranking in the top ten. The nation has moved from ninth in 2024 to fifth in 2025. This improvement is mainly due to an extension of parental leave options (Norway has the most generous parental leave policy of all countries studied), but we’ve also seen a slight drop in working hours. At 32.6 hours, Norway has one of the shortest work weeks in Europe on average.

6. Denmark — 73.76

Denmark’s rank has decreased by three places in 2025, having tied for third in the previous report. But despite dropping out of the top three this year, the country remains synonymous with a high quality of life, second only to Finland for public happiness levels. It also has one of the shortest average working weeks (32.5 hours) and is considered one of the safest and most LGBTQ+-friendly countries.

7. Canada — 73.46 

Canada may have fallen two places this year, but it remains the only country in the Americas to feature in the top ten for life-work balance (a stark contrast to neighboring America). Canada ranks among the world’s top countries for statutory sick pay, while it also performs well when it comes to public safety and LGBTQ+ inclusivity. Plus, one thing it has that the U.S. doesn’tis a universal government-funded healthcare system. 

8. Australia — 72.10

While Australia trails behind its Antipodean neighbor New Zealand in most categories, it boasts the highest minimum wage of any country we studied (the equivalent of $18.12 in U.S. dollars). Perhaps unsurprisingly for a country with such a relaxed outlook (and year-round sunshine, too), Australians tend to work short hours (32.29 per week) compared to most other countries.

9. Spain — 71.94

Spain is considered the second-most LGBTQ+-friendly country of the 60 analyzed. Spanish workers also enjoy a generous annual leave entitlement and maternity payment contribution. However, Spain’s public happiness rating is perhaps surprisingly low compared to other European nations, it largely performs well across the factors measured.

10. Finland — 70.86

Finland rounds out the top ten, having dropped three places compared to 2024. It hangs on in the top ten due to being the happiest country in the world, alongside having a generous statutory annual leave policy, a high rate of sick pay, and a relatively short average working week.

Data swings compared to 2024

Some countries have made significant strides in improving their life-work balance score in 2025, while others have faced challenges that have led to a decline compared to 2024. 

• Notable riser: Argentina is 2025’s notable riser, having increased its ranking by six places compared to 2024. The South American nation has moved from 19th to 14th, thanks to an increase in minimum wage (effective January 2025) and a boost in overall public happiness. Argentina’s life-work balance score has increased by 7.09 points to 68.35 out of 100. 
• Dropping further behind: The United States now has the second-worst life-work balance score on Remote’s index. The U.S. has fallen to 59th out of 60, having placed 55th last year and 53rd in 2023. The continued drop in ranking is due to lower scores in public safety and LGBTQ+ inclusivity. 
• Bouncing back: The United Kingdom, after dropping to 15th in 2024, has increased its life-work balance score by 4.56 points in 2025. It now ranks just outside the top ten, with an improvement due to an increase in minimum wage combined with a reduction in average hours worked. 

Countries with significant increases in their overall ‘life-work balance’ score likely saw improvement across multiple indices such as economic growth, social welfare, healthcare, education, and environmental sustainability. Meanwhile, countries that experienced a decline in their overall ‘life-work balance’ may have plateaued compared to other countries’ progression, or faced challenges in one or more of the noted factors, including economic downturn, political instability, social unrest, and environmental degradation.