Zain Bahrain marked World Mental Health Day by giving all employees a paid day off on Sunday, October 12, to compensate for the Friday observance. The company has granted this day annually since 2021 as part of its BE WELL program and recently certified four team members as Mental Health First Aiders to build an in-house support network for colleagues.

The global context this year is clear. The World Health Organization campaign page sets the 2025 theme around providing mental health and psychosocial support in humanitarian emergencies. As WHO reminds us, “there is no health without mental health,” a message that resonates inside fast-moving teams where stress can compound quickly.

Practical guidance also landed on the day itself. A WHO webinar on access to mental health in emergencies gathered partners from the World Federation for Mental Health and UN agencies to outline actions that organizations can adopt immediately, from training first responders to improving referral pathways. Founders can adapt those playbooks to workplace contexts, pairing basic literacy training with clear escalation routes.

Bahrain’s ecosystem moved in step with the calendar. Bahrain News Agency reported that Government Hospitals hosted the third Bahrain Psychiatry Conference in Manama on October 9–10 alongside World Mental Health Day, focusing on women and children and strengthening the national mental health system. That aligns with the Ministry of Health agenda to expand access and raise community awareness, reinforcing employer initiatives like Zain’s with system-level momentum.

Why this matters for startups in Bahrain. A structured day off tied to World Mental Health Day sends a credible signal to candidates and investors that wellbeing is part of execution, not an afterthought. Mental Health First Aiders create a first line of peer support, while formal links to national services shorten the path from concern to care. Teams that normalize rest and early help tend to reduce burnout, keep projects on track, and retain scarce talent during crunch cycles.

Founders can act now. Review the WHO campaign guidance and map a one-page plan for your company covering time-off, manager training, and referral options. Engage Bahrain’s providers highlighted around the BNA-covered conference to source certified training and clinical partnerships. If your team prefers to start small, appoint wellbeing points-of-contact and publish a clear escalation flow before your next sprint review.