The 10 best ｃountries for work-life balance, according to expats 

Moving to a new ｃountry usually means adjusting to a new way of life — both in and out of work.

InterNations, the world's largest network for expats, has compiled the top 10 ｃountries for work-life balance. The ranking is based on interviews with some 13,000 expats living in 188 regions.

The company also found that people who reported to be happiest with their work-life balance do not necessarily work fewer hours — it's the quality of life outside work that seems to ｃount more.

Scroll down to see the best ｃountries for work-life balance, alongside the number of hours expats tend to work there:

10. Malta — where expats working full-time put in about 43.9 hours per week, less than the global average (44.3 hours per week). Many expats in this ｃountry reported having more than enough disposable income to cover everything they need.

9. Oman — 43.5 hours/week. While most expats are happy with their work-life balance, many report a relatively low satisfaction with their career prospects and job security.

8. The Netherlands — 42 hours/week. Most expats reported being particularly happy with the ｃountry's booming economy and labour market. One Canadian expat said: "Life is hassle-free and very relaxed."

7. Costa Rica — 44.3 hours/week. Expats noted that it was expensive to live here, though.

6. Sweden — 42.3 hours/week. Most of respondents here were happy with their career prospects, job security, and opportunities available to them.

5. New Zealand — 42.3 hours/week. Most people move to this ｃountry for a better quality life, rather than for work. A British expat described New Zealand of having a "generally laid-back and friendly lifestyle."

4. Czech Republic — 44.9 hours/week, the longest hours out of all the ｃountries on this list. Despite that, people in this ｃountry appear to enjoy the quality of life here. An Australian expat said: "My employer offers me a lot of benefits, including more vacation days and good healthcare."

3. Norway — 42.9 hours/week. A Brit described jobs being very family-friendly. However, many respondents in the northern European ｃountry said their disposable household income doesn't cover everything they need to daily life.

2. Bahrain — 42.9 hours/week. Most respondents here described being satisfied with their jobs as well as life beyond it. "You can still find time to relax after a day of work," said an expat from the Philippines.

The Arab ｃountry was also featured on InterNations' list of ｃountries with the best career prospects for women and the most welcoming places in the world.

1. Denmark — 39.7 hours/week, the shortest working week out of all the ｃountries on this list. Expats from Indonesia and Portugal lauded the balance between work and private life here.

During its research, InterNations also found these ｃountries to have some of the worst work-life balance in the world: Hong Kong, Greece, Italy, Kuwait, and Japan.

Article Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/best-ｃountries-for-work-life-balance-according-to-expats-2018-5
Image Source: https://www.thelocal.de/userdata/images/article/ea75a307fb5f5d4b0b38fffbe04fd5eeb262c6e2289565c98193e295d1a7fdf2.jpg

VOCABULARY WORDS:
1. Expat (n.) ~ a person who lives outside their native ｃountry
2. Compile (v.) ~ produce (something, especially a list, report, or book) by assembling information collected from other sources
3. Disposable income (n.) ~ income remaining after deduction of taxes and other mandatory charges, available to be spent or saved as one wishes
4. Prospect (n.) ~ chances or opportunities for success or wealth
5. Laid-back (adj./ informal) ~ relaxed and easygoing
6. Laud (v.) ~ praise (a person or their achievements) highly, especially in a public context

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION:
1. According to the article, what are the top 10 ｃountries in terms of work-life balance according to expats? How about the ｃountries with the worst?
2. What are the factors which affect the work-life balance of the respondents?
3. What should be improved in your ｃountry to enhance the work-life balance of the employees for both public and private sectors?