Cities with the Best Work-Life Balance 2021
The Cities with the Best Work-Life Balance 2021 ranking reveals the cities with the best social, cultural and structural systems in place in order to provide their residents with the most well-rounded work-life balance, in terms not only of work intensity, but also livability, well-being and rights. As the third yearly iteration since 2019, and the second since the pandemic began, the study also takes into account how the shift to remote-working and the impact of Covid-19 has changed and continues to affect work-life balance in major cities around the world. After reviewing hundreds of global metropolises, a shortlist of 50 of in-demand cities with sufficient, reliable, and relevant datasets were selected. This included cities known for attracting professionals and families for their work opportunities and diverse lifestyle offerings. As the third iteration of a continuous study, this index includes 10 more cities than in 2019. This index is not designed to be a city livability index, nor is it intended to highlight the best cities to work in. Instead, it is designed to be a guideline which supports the fulfillment of residents’ lives by improving the aspects of life which help relieve work-related stress and intensity.
The study was divided into three categories - Work Intensity, Society and Institutions, City Livability - comprising the following 18 factors which contribute to work-life balance during and beyond the pandemic:
