Canadians achieve work-life balance through flexible schedules and shorter workweeks, survey finds
A new survey from global human resources company Remote places Canada 5th in the Global Life-Work Index out of 60 countries, with the United States ranking 55th.
Canadians appear to have found a successful approach to achieving work-life balance, as reported by City News.
Christian Cook, a human resources professor at Mount Royal University, believes work-life balance is a subjective feeling rather than a universal concept. She describes it as a boundary unique to each person, influenced by their profession and workplace.
Cook notes that people often think about work-life balance in terms of hours, such as being able to complete their 40-hour or 37.5-hour workweek flexibly. However, she points out that this flexibility might not necessarily provide the balance an individual needs.
Some Calgarians have found ways to achieve a good balance, such as working in flexible fields like sales, mastering time management, or no longer having small children. Cook suggests that companies can assist employees in achieving these boundaries by being more empathetic towards their staff.
The survey attributes Canada’s high ranking to its shorter average working weeks compared to other countries and its reputation as one of the safest and most 2SLGBTQI+ friendly nations.
The report states that Canadians have a professional but inclusive working culture, setting them apart from their neighbours in the US Canada ranked 9th in the same index in 2023.
According to the survey, the top countries for work-life balance include New Zealand, Ireland, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Finland, Australia, Norway, and Spain.
