A recent study by Remote, a global human resources services company, on work-life balance among the 60 highest GDP nations produced some troubling results for Malaysians. According to the Global Life Work Balance Index, Malaysia ranked 59th out of 60, making it the second worst country for work-life balance and the worst in Asia.

The study aimed to identify the countries with the best work-life balance by analyzing several workplace-related factors, including:

• Statutory annual leave (total days of paid leave, including public holidays)
• Minimum statutory sick pay (percentage of wage or flat amount)
• Statutory maternity leave (number of weeks paid)
• Statutory maternity leave payment rate (percentage of wage)
• Minimum wage (USD per hour), calculated by dividing the annual minimum wage by 52 weeks and the standard weekly work hours (converted to USD at the time of data collection)
• Healthcare status
• Happiness index (The Global Economy) score (ranked on a scale of 1-10)
• Average hours worked per week
• LGBTQ+ inclusivity (Equaldex, 0-100, with 100 being the highest, reflecting legal rights and public opinion towards LGBTQ+ people)

Remote selected the top 60 GDP nations for the study to provide a global sample and minimize data gaps. Russia and Ukraine were excluded due to the ongoing conflict.

New Zealand Tops the Index

New Zealand was ranked as the country with the best work-life balance, scoring 79.35 out of 100, followed by Spain and France in second and third places, respectively. The top five also included Australia and Denmark. In Asia, Taiwan was the highest-ranked nation at 16th place, followed by Singapore at 19th and Saudi Arabia at 27th.

Malaysia's Ranking

Malaysia ranked 59th with a score of 27.51 out of 100. The study highlighted that Malaysia offers 19 days of statutory annual leave, 14 days of paid maternity leave, and a minimum wage of only USD 1.07 per hour. Additionally, Malaysia has a universal government-funded healthcare system, a happiness index of 5.71 out of 10, an average workweek of 40.8 hours, and an LGBTQ+ inclusivity index of 9 out of 100.