Switzerland is first, Yemen last and Northern Europe the top region in a new evaluation of how nations foster their work forces.

The Human Capital Report, released Tuesday by the World Economic Forum, measured 122 countries in four areas — education, health, employment and “enabling environment” — to establish the rankings. The fourth area encompasses subjects such as a country’s legal framework as well as transportation and communications infrastructure, which affect an individual’s ability to work.

This is the first such study from the World Economic Forum, said Saadia Zahidi, head of the Human Capital project at the Switzerland-based organization. The exercise, which was conducted with Mercer Consulting and the Harvard School of Public Health, is designed to help nations see where they fall on the global spectrum, and to highlight strengths in fostering their work forces as well as areas to be addressed, Ms. Zahidi said.