fazTimes News, June 29, New Delhi - Finding a balance between work, health, and happiness is crucial today. The 2025 Global Life-Work Balance Index highlights 10 countries that excel in this area. Gulf News and BBC News say that these countries are setting standards for the rest of the world. Let us look at the best workers and see what they can teach us about making our lives better by making laws and rules that make sense.

The United Kingdom: 86.87
For the third year in a row, New Zealand is at the top of the list. Its high minimum pay, free health care for everyone, and generous 32 days of paid vacation each year are all notable features. Remote says that the country's peaceful surroundings, friendly neighborhoods, and high level of public happiness help it stay on top (timeout.com).
Britain: 81.17 points
It is the best country in Europe and the second-best country in the world. The Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023 says that rules for domestic violence leave and working from home are necessary. These progressive changes and strong support for maternity leave contribute to its high ranking (gulfnews.com).
Belgium: 75.91 points
The country of Belgium comes in third. It is praised for having a favorable mix of paid sick leave, parental benefits, and limits on work hours. In 2022, Belgium introduced the "right to disconnect" law, boosting worker health and happiness by allowing government employees to ignore work emails outside work hours.
Germany scored 74.65.
It jumps to 4th place thanks to strong benefits, including 15 days of paid sick leave for kids, or 30 days for single parents. The shorter normal work hours and wider application pool also contribute to its ranking.
Norway: 74.20
Norway has one of the best family leave policies in the world, with 49 weeks of fully paid leave. Norway has strong social support networks and short workweeks (an average of 32.6 hours per week). This means that people have time for family and personal hobbies.
Denmark: 73.76 out of 100
Even though Denmark fell three spots, its 32.5-hour workday makes it stand out. Its workplaces often close for part of the summer, which is in line with a national culture that values fun and relaxation (gulfnews.com).
Canada: 73.46
Canada is named the best country in the Americas. The country is progressing towards making child care more affordable. For instance, large subsidies have enabled many provinces to cap daycare fees at $10 per day (gulfnews.com).
Australia: 72.10
Australia ranks 8th globally, thanks to strong paid leave policies and the world's highest minimum wage of around $18.12 per hour. As one of only two Pacific nations on the list, it proves that social balance and economic growth can go hand-in-hand.
Spain: 71.94
Spain moves up one spot thanks to a recent reduction in the workweek to 37.5 hours and a fair 16 weeks of paid family leave for both moms and dads, which is a big step toward gender equality.
Finland: 70.86
Finland is back in the top 10 thanks to its easy access to early education and free or low-cost child care. This shows how important it is for parents to have good support for balancing work and family life (thetimes.co.uk).

What went into making the rankings?

Remote looked at 60 of the world's biggest countries based on things that have a direct effect on everyday life. This includes things like the minimum pay, access to health care, paid leave benefits (parental, sick, and annual), safety and happiness indices, and acceptance of LGBTQ+ people.

India, the UAE, and other Asian countries didn't make it to the top 20. Australia and New Zealand are the only two Asia-Pacific countries in the top 10. Singapore ranks 25th. India is 42nd with a score of 45.8, lagging behind countries with better benefits.

Indians value hard work, but their workweeks are some of the longest, and they don't get many days off. Millions of lives could be saved if the country changed its mind and guaranteed more than 20 days of paid yearly leave, raised social security benefits, and pushed for flexible work schedules.

India Can Do Well To Learn These Things

Create the Right to Disconnect: Workers in Belgium are allowed to take time off after work. To keep workers from getting burned out, India could do the same.
Extend parental and child leave. India can learn from Germany's generous sick child benefits and Norway's 49 weeks of paid leave.
Cut the Standard Workweek: Many Indian workers work more than 48 hours a week, so reducing the standard workweek would help their mental health and family time a lot.
Affordably priced child care: Taking a cue from Finland and Canada, government-funded child care may help working families, especially women, handle their personal and professional lives.
Focus on Inclusion: The scores looked at public safety and acceptance of LGBTQ+ people. India can do better in these areas by making changes to society and laws that protect them.

There is a shift occurring in the social order.

According to the 2025 Randstad study, 83% of workers now value work-life balance more than pay. This shows a change in values around the world (remote.com, indianexpress.com). India's business and government processes need to change so that the country doesn't lose talent and social well-being.

That being said,

The 2025 work-life balance scores show that peaceful living is a policy goal, not a luxury. Countries like New Zealand, Norway, and Denmark show that having strong labor laws, social support, and a society that values vacation time can all lead to prosperity.

It is simple for India to get there. Changes to social infrastructure, workplace flexibility, and leave rules could lead to a better standard of living. In New Zealand, people say "life should lead work" when planning - companies and governments should do the same.

According to the 2025 Global Life-Work Balance Index by Remote, as reported by BBC News, Gulf News, and Al Jazeera.

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