Countries that allow workers to perfect the work-life balance
June 14, 2012
Having a fulfilling, successful career while simultaneously raising a family without feeling like either responsibility is getting short-changed can be difficult. Still, achieving a good work-life balance is something most working mothers strive to do.
The task may be easier said than done, depending on where you live. A recent study released by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) ranked 34 countries based on three criteria - the amount of time spent on personal activities, the employment rate of women with children and the number of employees working more than 50 hours per week - to determine the most family-friendly nations.
When it comes to a healthy work-life balance, the United States ranks relatively low on the list at number 23. The OECD found the average employee works 1,778 hours a year, higher than the OECD average of 1,749 hours. In addition, nearly 11 percent of employees work very long hours, higher than the average of 9 percent. Meanwhile, 73 percent of women with children are in the workforce.
"The more people work, the less time they have to spend on other activities, such as time with others or leisure," the study reported. "The amount and quality of leisure time is important for people's overall well-being, and can bring additional physical and mental health benefits."
As for countries in which workers have healthy work-life balances, Denmark ranks number one, according to the study. It found that people in Denmark work 1559 hours a year and only 2 percent work very long hours. Additionally, the average worker devotes 69 percent of their day, or 16.1 hours, to personal care and leisure - higher than the OECD average of 14.8 hours.
Other countries that made the top ten include Belgium, Spain, Norway, Netherlands, Sweden, Germany, Greece, the Russian Federation and France.
Mexico nabbed the bottom spot on the list for the country in which workers do not enjoy a good work-life balance. Others that ranked low include Turkey, Japan, Korea, Israel, Australia, Iceland, the U.S., Poland and the Czech Republic.
While moving to a country that ranks high on the OECD list isn't realistic for most people, working women and those who are planning to enter the workforce may gravitate toward companies that offer workers more flexible schedules and other perks that contribute to a healthy work-life balance. In addition, certain careers such as teaching and nursing have traditionally offered women a more balanced life.
Moms who are contemplating pursuing a college degree in order to start or advance a career should know that there are ways to help make affording an education easier. Financial aid for mothers, scholarships for mothers and college grants can help make pursuing a college degree financially realistic for many parents.
