Belgium is fourth best country for work-life balance, study shows

Belgium scores among the top five in a list of countries with the best work-life balance, according to a study by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The Better Life Index is a comparison of well-being across countries, based on 11 topics the OECD has identified as essential, in the areas of material living conditions and quality of life. Belgium ranks fourth in the list, after Denmark, Spain and the Netherlands.

A relatively short work week and plenty of time for friends and family put Denmark at the top of the 2015 index. The results reveal that only 2% of full-time employees in Denmark work overtime, one of the lowest rates in the OECD where the average is 13%. The Danish state also supports families and single parents with young children, spending 4% of its GDP on families, almost double the OECD average.

In Belgium, only 5% of employees work very long hours, according to the study, and Belgians generally enjoy flexible work schedules and a lot of free time relative to most other OECD countries.