Saudi Arabia ranks first in region for best life-work balance
When I first landed in the US in mid-2012, I was stunned by how stressful everyday life felt. Coming from a different culture, being in this new environment allowed me to notice the pervasive hustle mentality.
There were people glued to their personal computers and phones, working late into the night, juggling multiple jobs just to pay their bills and utilities, and seemingly measuring success by how busy they were.
Over time, I realized that, in the US, it seemed normal to skip vacations and answer work emails after hours, outside of official working time (sometimes even around midnight), and to wear burnout like a badge of honor.
Fortunately, in today's fast-paced world, finding harmony between work and personal life is increasingly recognized as essential for overall well-being.
In particular, after the pandemic experience in 2020, there is a growing awareness that maintaining a good life-work balance means having enough time and energy to manage work demands.
It also means being able to enjoy time with family and friends, pursue hobbies, get adequate rest, and focus on personal health.
Given this background, I was not surprised to see the US ranked lower on the list for life-work balance in the latest Global Life-Work Balance Index released by Remote, a leading San Francisco-based human resources technology company.
Conversely, I was equally unsurprised to see that Saudi Arabia outperformed the US by a significant margin.
According to the report, Saudi Arabia was ranked as the top country in the Arab world and the Middle East for life-work balance in 2025, and 35th globally.
The Global Life-Work Balance Index by Remote considers a wide range of factors to determine these rankings.
Specifically, each country is evaluated based on several key criteria, including minimum wage, sick and maternity leave, healthcare quality and access, public happiness levels, average working hours and statutory annual leave.
By taking these elements into account, the index offers a comprehensive picture of what defines true life-work balance on a global scale.
Notably, Saudi Arabia performs well across all these indicators, which has contributed to its strong ranking both regionally and globally.
Looking at the global context, life-work balance in 2025 has evolved to encompass far more than simply managing work hours, as highlighted by Remote's Global Life-Work Balance Index.
Countries like New Zealand and Canada continue to set high standards, with generous annual leave policies and comprehensive employee benefits.
On the other hand, nations such as India still face challenges — ranking 42nd globally despite statutory leave entitlements. Nevertheless, the real story is the remarkable progress taking place in Saudi Arabia.
Under Vision 2030, the Kingdom is making significant strides to enhance the quality of life for its workforce, and this transformation is gaining international recognition.
Remote's latest rankings also signal a promising future as the country's rapidly growing economy creates more high-quality jobs.
As a result, as labor reforms continue and the work environment improves for both local and international talent, Saudi Arabia is positioning itself as a regional leader in employee well-being and sustainable economic growth.
In conclusion, the growing global focus on life-work balance is a trend that organizations and policymakers cannot afford to overlook. The 2025 Randstad Workmonitor survey confirms this shift, revealing that 83% of employees worldwide now consider life-work balance their top motivator—even ahead of pay.
In my view, this demonstrates that countries like Saudi Arabia have a unique opportunity. By investing in high-quality jobs that support a healthy life-work balance, Saudi Arabia can not only strengthen its economy, but also become one of the region's top destinations for talent.
This approach will benefit the nation's economic growth and significantly enhance the workforce experience, making the Kingdom an even more attractive place to work and thrive.
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