10 of the World's Best Cities for Work-Life Balance: Who's Number One?

Work-life balance is a key factor driving employee productivity and happiness.

Forbes Advisor conducted a study to measure work-life balance in 128 major cities worldwide. The measurement used numerous indicators, including:

* Happiness index;
* Gender inequality index;
* Average working hours;
* Legally mandated minimum annual leave;
* Property price-to-income ratio;
* Proportion of job postings offering remote work;
* Maternity/paternity leave policies;
* Availability of parks/open spaces per capita;
* Unemployment rate; and
* Daily sunlight duration.

These indicators were processed into a score on a scale of 0-100. A higher score indicates a better work-life balance.

Copenhagen ranked first as the city with the best work-life balance globally, scoring 70.5 points.

The Danish capital's residents are known for their "hygge" lifestyle, focusing on enjoying life in a relaxed and peaceful manner.

Copenhagen also boasts a lower unemployment rate of 2.4% compared to other European cities, and companies offer flexible working hours with a minimum of five weeks' leave per year.

Helsinki, the Finnish capital, came in second with a score of 65.1 points.

Finnish companies strive to create work-life balance by offering up to five weeks of paid annual leave, extended maternity leave, and remote work opportunities.

Stockholm, Sweden, ranked third with a score of 64.8 points. According to Forbes Advisor, the city has a strong economy and a high standard of living.

Full-time employees in Sweden are entitled to 25 days of annual leave. New parents are also entitled to up to 480 days (approximately 1.5 years) of paid parental leave.

Oslo, the Norwegian capital, ranked fourth with a score of 63.2 points.

Although Oslo is an expensive city to live in, its workers enjoy a balanced life thanks to high wages and a good quality of life.

Other cities also achieved high work-life balance index scores, as detailed in the graph above.

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