Latest news with #2025GlobalLife-WorkBalanceIndex
Time Out
06-08-2025
- Business
- Time Out
Where in Asia can you actually live while you work? This global index has the answers
When it comes to work-life balance, not all countries are created equal. Sure, a place might have great beaches and decent Wi-Fi, but what about fair work hours, healthcare access, public safety, and enough paid time off to actually enjoy your surroundings? 2025 Global Life-Work Balance Index ranked 60 countries based on exactly that, and while Asia may not dominate the top spots, a few countries in the region are stepping up their game. For those looking to relocate to Asia, the data offers some clear frontrunners – and a few red flags. Singapore and Malaysia are the best in Asia Leading the pack in Asia is Singapore, coming in at 25th globally. The city-state scores well on healthcare and safety, all essentials for a healthy work environment. It's not exactly laid-back (this is still Singapore), but it offers solid infrastructure, reliable transport, and a thriving café scene for the laptop crowd. Malaysia, meanwhile, is the real mover. Ranked 27th globally, it jumped 20 places from last year thanks to improvements in maternity leave and work-hour regulations. For workers, Malaysia is a tempting balance: Kuala Lumpur's digital scene is growing fast, and spots like Penang or Langkawi offer the coastal calm you're probably craving between Zoom calls. Japan drops, China struggles Japan has slipped to 29th in this year's index. While it still scores well on safety and healthcare, it ranks near the bottom for annual leave. Those hoping to soak in onsen towns or Tokyo's buzz should be prepared for long hours and deeply ingrained work norms. China lands much lower at 52nd, held back by the longest average work week in the region, over 46 hours. The digital infrastructure may be impressive, but the pace is fast, and policies aren't as friendly to downtime. What about the usual relocation faves? Countries like Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Philippines didn't rank as highly on the 2025 list, largely due to weaker statutory leave, longer work weeks, and patchy healthcare access. That said, these spots remain beloved by those looking to relocate: affordability, culture, and community. You'll need to create your own balance instead of relying on national policies to protect your downtime. 2025 Global Life-Work Balance Index: How Asian countries ranked Singapore –#25 Malaysia – #27 Japan –#29 Taiwan – #30 South Korea – #31 Indonesia – #34 Vietnam – #39 Thailand – #41 India – #42 Hong Kong – #44 Philippines – #45 Kazakhstan – #46 China – #52 Pakistan – #54 Bangladesh – #57 Have you heard? Digital nomad visas: countries in Asia where you can live and work remotely
Hindustan Times
09-07-2025
- Health
- Hindustan Times
India lags in Global Life-Work Balance Index, New Zealand tops for 3rd year
New Zealand has been ranked first among countries in doing the best at helping people strike a healthy balance between work and personal life, according to the 2025 Global Life-Work Balance Index released by Remote. Ireland and Belgium followed New Zealand, with significantly high scores of 81.17 and 75.91 respectively.(Pixabay/representational) New Zealand has secured the top position for the third consecutive year, with a whopping high score of 86.87 out of 100, followed by Ireland and Belgium, with significantly high scores of 81.17 and 75.91, respectively. Workers of the country enjoy 32 days of statutory annual leave, up to 100% wage coverage for sick days, and 26 weeks of paid maternity leave at full pay. The country's shorter working hours across sectors, strong public policies and improved minimum wages played a major role in helping it secure the first place in the index. How was the survey conducted? Remote selected the top 60 GDP countries of the world as a global sample. The survey aimed to discover which global player offers employees the best life-work balance, with several parameters taken into consideration. The study reviewed multiple indicators including statutory annual leave (total days of paid leave, including public holidays), minimum statutory sick pay, statutory maternity leave, statutory maternity leave payment rate, minimum wage (USD per hour), healthcare status, happiness index score, average working hours per week per employed person, LGBTQ+ inclusivity and safety, according to the Global Peace Index. Where does India stand in the index? With a score of 45.81, India has been ranked 42nd out of 60 countries in the index. Although Indian employees are entitled to 35 days of statutory annual leave, issues like poor healthcare access, sick pay typically covering less than 60% of wages and longer working hours have pushed it back in the line, snatching its position among the top forty countries in the index. Where is the USA in the index? The United States of America secured the second last spot in the index with measly low rank of 59, scoring 31.17 out of 100. The exceptionally poor score appears to be largely due to limited paid leave and unfavourable working conditions reported by employees in the country. Who is ranked last in the index? Nigeria was placed at the bottom of the index with a score as low as 29.67. According to a report by Lloyd's Bank, the general working hours in a week in Nigeria are 40 hours, with all workers entitled to two to four weeks of annual leave, overtime and paid leave. Here's the complete list of countries and their ranking in index: 1. New Zealand - 86.87 2. Ireland - 81.17 3. Belgium - 75.91 4. Germany - 74.65 5. Norway - 74.20 6. Denmark - 73.76 7. Canada - 73.46 8. Australia - 72.10 9. Spain - 71.94 10. Finland - 70.86 11. United Kingdom - 69.68 12. Netherlands - 68.97 13. Portugal - 68.65 14. Argentina - 68.35 15. Austria - 68.01 16. France - 67.62 17. Poland - 65.33 18. Hungary - 63.38 19. Czech Republic - 63.06 20. Sweden - 62.92 21. Greece - 62.84 22. Italy - 60.52 23. Switzerland - 60.32 24. Chile - 58.02 25. Singapore - 57.85 26. Romania - 57.49 27. Malaysia - 57.03 28. Brazil - 56.63 29. Japan - 56.54 30. Taiwan - 54.61 31. South Korea - 53.42 - 53.38 33. South Africa - 52.17 34. Indonesia - 52. 07 35. Saudi Arabia - 50.79 36. Israel - 49.79 37. Ukraine - 49.77 38. Peru - 49.18 39. Vietnam - 47.08 40. United Arab Emirates - 47.01 41. Thailand - 45.86 42. India - 45.81 43. Russia - 45.29 44. Hong Kong - 45.72 45. Phillipenes - 44.62 46. Kazakhstan - 44.57 47. Mexico - 44.04 48. Algeria - 43.63 49. Iran - 43.11 50. Turkey - 43.06 51. Morocco - 41.59 52. China - 38.68 53. Qatar - 38.33 54. Pakistan - 38.27 55. Iraq - 37.66 56. Ethiopia - 37.61 57. Bangladesh - 36.91 58. Egypt - 35.77 59. United States - 31.17 60. Nigeria - 26.67 (Remote pulled and analysed the data in April 2025)
