Bangkok among most overworked cities in the world

BANGkOk ranked among the most overworked cities in the world, according to the “Cities with the Best Work-life Balance 2021” rankings by kisi.

tech company kisi explained that its ranking was organised by “comparing data on work intensity, institutional support, legislation, and livability”.

“the study ranks cities based on their success in promoting work-life balance of their citizens before, during and beyond the pandemic,” kisi said.

According to the survey, the five most overworked cities were Hong kong, Singapore, Bangkok, Buenos Aires and Seoul, in that order.

While the top cities in the rankings for best work-life balance were Helsinki, Oslo, Zurich, Stockholm and Copenhagen.

to begin the study, they selected a list of in-demand metropolises worldwide with sufficient, reliable and relevant datasets.

they then finalised a shortlist of 50 cities to include those known for attracting professionals and families for their work opportunities and diverse lifestyle offerings, as well as those which frequently top livability indexes.

Next, kisi looked into the amount of Covid-related economic support residents received over the last year in each city, as this had an immense impact on their livelihoods.

to determine the extent to which residents receive equal treatment, it also evaluated their access to state-funded health and welfare programmes, as well as institutional support for gender equality and social inclusivity of minorities and the lGBt+ community.

“the study then appraised each city’s livability by examining its affordability as well as its citizens’ overall happiness, safety and access to wellness and leisure venues,” kisi said.

Finally, it looked into the effect of the pandemic on a city’s work-life balance in several key areas – case numbers, the severity of lockdown measures, and economic losses – which were combined to determine an overall “Covid impact” score.

the result is an index of 18 factors analysing the work-life balance of 50 cities worldwide, recognising those who encourage a healthy balance both directly and indirectly through policies and urban infrastructure, while also bringing attention to those who have been adversely affected by the pandemic, kisi said.