Malaysia has been ranked as the second worst country for work-life balance among the 60 highest gross domestic product (GDP) nations globally, according to a recent study conducted by Remote, a human resource company specializing in connecting employers with international talent.

The study, which analysed data collected in March 2023, evaluated nine key factors to produce the ranking: statutory annual leave days, minimum statutory sick pay, statutory maternity leave days, percentage of wage for statutory maternity leave, minimum wage, healthcare, happiness index, average weekly working hours, and LGBTQ+ inclusivity.

Remote stated, "The goal of this study is to represent each country's life-work balance accurately, reimagining the popular phrase 'work-life balance' to showcase how businesses in each country are looking to put life before work."

In the study, Malaysia scored 27.51 out of 100, with an average workweek of 40.8 hours and a minimum wage of USD 1.07 (about RM 5.04) per hour. In comparison, countries such as Iran, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, and the UAE offer the highest number of statutory leave days, with 53, 40, 43, and 40 days respectively.

The only country ranked lower than Malaysia is Nigeria, which provides just five days of statutory leave, a 40.8-hour workweek, and a minimum wage of USD 0.43 (about RM 2.02) per hour. Remote highlighted, "Employees in Mexico, Malaysia, and Nigeria are the most overworked, each clocking up over 40 hours on average each week, including full- and part-time workers."

On the other end of the spectrum, New Zealand, Spain, France, Australia, and Denmark are recognized as the top five countries with the best work-life balance. Among Asian countries, Taiwan (16th place), Singapore (19th place), and South Korea (32nd place) ranked highest, with Japan coming in at 38th place with an average of 30.7 weekly working hours.

Below is a screenshot of the ranking, featuring several key countries in the study:





Source : Remote, TheRakyatPost