Ranked: The Best Countries for Life-Work Balance in 2025

Key Takeaways

• Top-ranked countries like New Zealand and Ireland offer generous paid maternity leave (26 weeks) and high statutory annual leave (30+ days), supporting strong work-life balance.

• Most countries with universal healthcare also provide extensive sick pay (80–100%) and maternity benefits, reinforcing social safety nets for workers.

• The study evaluated paid leave, sick pay, maternity benefits, minimum wage, healthcare, happiness, work hours, LGBTQ+ rights, and safety, weighted to produce an overall score out of 100. Data was collected and analyzed in April 2025.