Toronto is one of the best cities in the world for work-life balance

Toronto made the top 15 list of some of the best cities in the world for work-life balance.

According to a report by mobile access technology company Kisi, Toronto is 13th among 40 leading global cities when it comes to the “the most holistic work-life balance.”

The report’s goal was to enhance the personal and professional lives of workers, and looked at how “residents’ lifestyle demands to make their city a more attractive place overall to work and life.”

Using data relating to work intensity, social well-being, and livability to analyze the interplay between work and life, Kisi’s index assesses how successful residents are at achieving a healthy work-life balance in 40 cities around the world.

“This index is not designed to be a city livability index, nor is it intended to highlight the best cities to work in,” said the company in its report.

“Instead, it aims to be a guideline for cities to benchmark their ability to support the fulfillment of residents’ lives by improving the aspects of life that help relieve work-related stress and intensity. With an ever-increasing burnout rate worldwide, self-care and time management are becoming higher priorities.”

Out of 100, Toronto scored 66.35 and placed in 13th on the ranking scale.

But, Vancouver and Ottawa also made the list, ranking 10th and 11th worldwide respectively.

Courtesy of Kisi

Helsinki, Munich, and Oslo topped the index as the cities promoting the most holistic work-life balance, compared to the most overworked cities in the study, Tokyo, Singapore, and Washington, DC.

The study looked at each city’s overall work-life score was evaluated based on a series of factors related to the amount of time a person dedicates to their job—such as total working hours, commuting, vacation days taken, and paid maternal leave.

In the mental healthcare ranking, Toronto, Vancouver, and Ottawa all took top positions, ranking fifth, sixth, and seventh.

“It surprises me that despite the discussions present in the media surrounding workplace stress, we faced difficulties in collecting reliable data on workplace-related stress,” comments Bernhard Mehl, CEO of Kisi.

“Despite living in an era where unprecedented advancements have been made in technology and connectivity, we have failed to address the most everyday aspect of enhancing our everyday lives — finding the balance between work and leisure.”

Mehl said that this study was conducted in the hope that it will bring awareness to the multiple ways in which cities and countries can contribute to the overall happiness and well-being of the workforce.