Canada might have some of the happiest workers, according to a new global ranking of countries with the best work-life balance.
Global HR platform Remote has released its “Global Life-Work Balance Index 2024” report, which analyzes which countries offer employees the opportunity to balance their personal and professional lives.
Although work-life balance isn’t a new concept, it has increasingly become “non-negotiable for many of the world’s employees.”
Canada ranked fifth globally with a 72.75 index score and is the only North American country to make the top 10 list; New Zealand came in at number one with an index score of 80.76.
Canadians are ahead of their American counterparts in terms of their attitude toward work, “with Canadian working culture tending to be professional but inclusive.”
It’s considered among the best places for employees due to various factors, including 17 days of statutory annual leave. On average, Canadian employees work 32.1 hours a week.
Sick days are also 100% covered, and, across Canada, employees get 17 weeks of paid maternity leave. The country also has a happiness index rating of 6.9 out of 10, and when it comes to LGBTQ+ inclusivity, it received a score of 83 out of 100.
“The world’s second-largest country by area (and considered one of its most breathtakingly scenic), Canada ranks highly primarily due to having one of the shortest average working weeks (the average Canadian works 32.1 hours, fewer than all but three countries analyzed) while also being considered one of the safest and most LGBTQ+-friendly countries,” states the report.
The report also emphasizes that maintaining this balance doesn’t just depend on employers.
“It involves several factors — from the hours we work to the healthcare support we receive — that work in unison to ensure we can perform to the best of our capabilities when we’re at work while enabling us to live a happy, healthy life outside of the workplace,” it states.
What do you think about this ranking? Does Canada really have a healthy work-life balance culture? Let us know in the comments.