Many expats choose to move country to improve career prospects, whether it be for the high earnings enjoyed in the United Arab Emirates or the quick career progression of America. One career-related reason to move abroad that’s often overlooked though is work-life balance. With new laws set to be introduced in France guaranteeing employees the right to ignore emails when at home or on holiday, this employee-friendly European destination could provide the best work-life balance of anywhere internationally.
France was already likely to feature highly among expats looking to strike an improved work-life balance. As Cadogan Tate reported in a previous article,  French citizens enjoy more paid leave than those of any other country on earth. The average French employee can expect 30 days a year of paid vacation but some French companies offer yet more still. At French energy giant EDF , for example, employees who work more than 35 hours per week are eligible for an additional 23 days paid vacation to supplement the standard 27 day allowance. This brings total potential holiday allowance at EDF to an enormous 10 weeks.
When it comes to total hours worked, France again features toward the lower end of the scale compared to other countries. In the UK, the average employee can expect to spend 1677 hours a year at work. In the US, this figure rises to 1789. In France though, the average worker will spend just 1473 hours at work per year.
So, if you’re looking to gain more time to pursue your interests and spend with your family by moving abroad, France looks to be the best option. Now, with new legislation protecting employees  from having to read and respond to emails outside of work, the perks look greater still. This new law is likely to be well received by those who feel new technology has blurred the lines between the professional and the personal. With smartphones coming with us wherever we go, it’s become increasingly difficult to disconnect from work out-of-hours. The new law, however, should make this easier.
So what do all these favourable conditions for employees mean for productivity? Perhaps surprisingly, France’s GDP per hours worked is one of the highest of anywhere in the world. Despite working fewer hours in total, French workers seem to be far more productive in the time they’re there. An explanation offered to explain this fact is that employees who work too much end up working badly. Long hours can lead to stress, late nights and exhaustion – all factors that can negatively affect workplace performance.
So, even though the work culture is much more favourable to employees, the French are still serious about business and hard work. This makes France the perfect environment for career-minded expats looking to move abroad and advance their careers whilst also gaining back control of that all important work-life balance.
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Information correct at time of publication.