New Zealand ranked first in the world for life-work balance

The Global Life-Work Balance Index 2025 is the third annual index report published by Remote Technology, a global HR platform that coordinates hiring, onboarding, and payroll for international teams. The report ranks 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 research team chooses the term "life-work balance" over the more traditional "work-life balance", emphasising that life comes first, and work should exist in service of enriching, not overshadowing it. They also acknowledge that life-work balance doesn’t have a universal definition - it will mean something different to every individual and in every culture - which is why the study focuses on the the core statutory benefits and workplace systems in different parts of the world.

New Zealand cements its position

New Zealand scored consistently well across the study, particularly in areas like statutory annual leave, public happiness, safety, and minimum wage, second only to Australia on this last factor. It's the third year in a row that New Zealand has topped the survey, scoring 86.87 out of 100 possible points in 2025, 5.7 points ahead of the next nearest country, Ireland. 

This is before we factor in the changes announced on Monday to New Zealand's FamilyBoost scheme, increasing to 40% the proportion of early childhood care and education fees people can claim back, plus a $49,000 increase in the amount families can earn per year to be eligible for the FamilyBoost refunds.

Top Ten countries for life-work balance

The 2025 index places consistent performers alongside countries that have made large strides and others which have regressed. The top ten are nations that prioritize factors like time off and fair pay.

1. New Zealand
2. Ireland
3. Belgium
4. Germany
5. Norway
6. Denmark
7. Canada
8. Australia
9. Spain
10. Finland

Despite our place in pole position, seven out of ten of the top countries are from Europe. In the Asia-Pacific region New Zealand, Australia and Singapore round out the top three. 

• While Australia trails behind New Zealand in most categories, it boasts the highest minimum wage of any country studied. Australians also tend to work short hours (32.29 per week on average) compared to most other countries.
• Singapore improved by one position to rank third of the APAC countries, owing partly to an increase in statutory maternity leave. The city-state also ranks fourth highest of the APAC countries on the happiness index. 
• Malaysia increased its ranking by 20 places compared to 2024. It now ranks fourth of the APAC countries, where previously it stood at 11th. Improved statutory maternity leave is one of the reasons for Malaysia’s improved performance. Still, compared to the other APAC countries, Malaysians tend to work longer hours (44.70 per week on average), and are the least LGBTQ+ inclusive. 
• After dropping from eighth to 15th in 2024, an increase of 4.56 points sees the UK sit just outside the top ten in 2025. The improvement is down to an increase in minimum wage combined with a reduction in hours worked per week.
• With public safety and LGBTQ+ inclusivity decreasing, the United States now has the second-worst life-work balance, according to the data. The U.S. falls to 59th out of 60, having placed 55th last year and 53rd in 2023.

You can read the full report here.

Productivity v life-work balance

Much is made in the political arena of New Zealand's poor productivity (reports this time last year had New Zealand ranked in the bottom third of OECD countries for labour productivity), and there is no doubting that many Kiwis have been doing it hard recently, especially business owners without full access to the employment benefits lauded by this study.

The Global Life-Work Balance Index 2025 points out, however, that New Zealand's businesses are unmatched in looking after the lives of their employees and putting life before work. That may be on the back of compliance issues and relatively high labour costs for businesses, but the longer term benefits of having happier and more fulfilled employees can also mean more stability, better recruitment options (especially from international prospects) and fewer costs related to staff turnover.