Saudi National Day, also known as Al-Yaom Al-Watani (اليوم الوطني), is more than just a public holiday; it's a powerful opportunity to boost employee morale, strengthen team bonds, and reinforce a sense of national identity and pride in the workplace. Celebrated every year on September 23, this national holiday marks the Unification of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 1932 under King Abdulaziz Al Saud.
In this article, we’ll explore creative, inclusive, and fun ways to celebrate Saudi National Day at work, whether your team is working in the office or remotely. We’ll also share HR tips to make your initiatives more meaningful and compliant.
Before we jump into the ideas, here’s why it's important for HR teams and companies to acknowledge Saudi National Day in the workplace:
Celebrating Al-Yaom Al-Watany internally also aligns with the Kingdom’s broader Vision 2030 goals around building inclusive, vibrant workplaces and nurturing a thriving national identity.
Decorate your office in green and white, play traditional Saudi music, and organize a mini celebration with Saudi flags, banners, and themed snacks.
Ideas:
Tip for Remote Teams: Send a digital celebration kit with flags, Zoom backgrounds, or even local snack vouchers.
Engage employees with a fun and educational quiz covering:
Tools to Use: Kahoot, Quizizz, Google Forms
Remote-Friendly: Host it live on Zoom or Teams with small prizes for top scores.
Celebrate your Saudi employees by giving them the spotlight.
Ideas:
This helps honor local culture, build empathy, and strengthen cross-cultural understanding in diverse teams.
Encourage employees to bring home-cooked Saudi dishes or snacks to work. If your team is remote, create a virtual recipe board and host a cooking session online.
Popular Dishes:
You can even vote on the best recipe and share a digital cookbook with everyone!
Let employees showcase their creativity through:
HR Tip: Display winning entries around the office or in your internal newsletter. For remote teams, create a shared gallery online using Google Drive or Trello.
National Day already falls on a public holiday, but offering flexible hours around it (especially for Sunday or Wednesday) can help employees:
This small gesture goes a long way in showing your team that you care about work-life balance.
Send branded or meaningful items such as:
Remote Tip: Ship gifts in advance to remote employees or offer digital gift cards with themed designs.
Use this national occasion to give back to the community. Involve your team in:
This reflects national values and supports CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) goals.
Bring in guest speakers or team members to discuss:
Make it interactive with polls, breakout rooms, or follow-up surveys.
Amplify your internal celebrations externally by:
This also boosts your employer branding on platforms like LinkedIn and Instagram.
With more teams working from home or across borders, don’t leave remote employees out of the fun:
This builds virtual team cohesion and ensures all employees feel part of the celebration.
Yes, Tuesday, September 23, 2025, is an official public holiday in Saudi Arabia. Many companies offer 1–2 days off.
It shows cultural appreciation, boosts morale, strengthens team spirit, and supports employee engagement.
Absolutely! With digital tools, remote employees can join quizzes, attend virtual events, and receive care packages or gifts.
Plan ahead, keep celebrations inclusive, align with company goals, and document the day for internal and external sharing.
Saudi National Day is not just a celebration of the Kingdom’s unification; it’s a chance to unify your team, foster pride, and boost morale. Whether your employees are in the office, working remotely, or spread across regions, there are plenty of creative ways to engage them on this special occasion.
With a thoughtful approach and inclusive planning, your National Day celebration can reflect both Saudi culture and your company values, leaving a lasting impact long after the holiday ends.