Kuala Lumpur has placed a measly 47 out of 50 countries, in a recent study on work-life balance.

A recent study by US-based security specialist Kisi placed the country's capital city as the fourth most overworked city in the world (21% of the population), behind Hong Kong (China), Singapore, and Seoul (South Korea), and one step ahead of Tokyo (Japan).

The research also ranked Kuala Lumpur on the top of the longest hours worked, and commute for residents per week list (52 hours) ahead of Singapore and Bangkok (Thailand).

As for the list of fewest minimum vacations offered (days), KL placed third (eight days per year), after Bangkok, which topped the list, and Singapore and Hong Kong, which shared the number two spot.

The research was based on 19 different factors, including work intensity, society and institutions, and city liveability.

According to the study, the five cities which topped the work-life balance list are Oslo (Norway), Helsinki (Finland), Copenhagen (Denmark), Hamburg (Germany), and Berlin (Germany).

It is not all doom and gloom, however, as KL proved to be quite resilient in weathering the COVID-19 storm.

The city is ranked 13th in the list of cities least impacted by the pandemic. The top five cities which are most affected by the pandemic are New York, New Orleans and Boston (all in the US), followed by Madrid and Barcelona in Spain.

Kuala Lumpur also ranked fifth in the lowest projected unemployment due to COVID-19, after Bangkok, Singapore, Tokyo, and Zurich (Switzerland).


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