What’s going on:Â Â Â Â
Expatriates from America, who’ve recently relocated abroad, are questioning the differences in work-life balance from the US to other countries, such as paid leave and working hours. Â
Overall, North America and European countries seem to offer the best balance, however, overworking still remains a major concern worldwide, according to Business Insider. Â
A report by the UN’s International Labor Organization revealed that a third of all international employees are putting in 48 hours or more a week.Â
Why it matters:Â Â
U.S. employees worked on average 1,750 hours per year, a significant 400 hours more annually than the traditional full-time workweek of 40 hours. But in the 2023 worldwide work-life balance index by Forbes, the UK still secured five spots among the top 25 cities offering the best work-life balance — surpassing the US, France, and Australia.Â
In a recent Forbes report, the cities of Melbourne and Sydney made the top 25, coming in at 18th and 22nd respectively. On average, Australians work a solid 32 to 38 hours per week, with 20 days of paid time off and up to 16 weeks of maternity leave for mothers. Â
Although Australia didn’t quite make the top 10, New Zealand placed an impressive sixth PLACE, where the typical full-time worker clocks an average of 26 hours weekly.Â
How it’ll impact the future:Â
Some US companies, such as Basecamp, Panasonic, and ThredUP, are taking measures to reduce the usual 40-hour workweek, introducing a four-day workweek instead. In support of this move, Rep. Mark Takano of California recently reintroduced a bill to the US House that would slash the working week to 32 hours. Â
It’s clear that the US is seriously overworked, so some companies and politicians are beginning to take measures to improve work-life balance.
