Beautiful Virgin Islands

Monday, Jun 23, 2025

Not working due to lockdown? Here's how to keep busy and learn new skills

Not working due to lockdown? Here's how to keep busy and learn new skills

Using time in furlough to invest in personal growth and learning relevant new skills can help people maintain their confidence and motivation, says Namrata Murlidhar, marketing director at LinkedIn Learning.

What furlough means for employees’ pay in the context of the economic crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic varies slightly in different parts of the world but it is generally understood as a leave of absence. 

While affected workers will therefore have more free time on their hands, activities are also limited to the confines of your home due to widespread lockdown measures during the pandemic. 

“Keeping yourself stimulated and finding new ways to learn essential skills can make the eventual return to work smoother, or open doors to new opportunities in the future, ” said Murlidhar, urging furloughed workers to also stick to a routine as much as possible. 

Jo Cresswell, careers expert at jobs site Glassdoor, said that the increasing number of workers being furloughed “shines a spotlight on the importance of transferable skills.” 

This applied to those who have been laid off and who are looking at a possible change of career in order to rejoin the workforce quickly, as well as those looking to hone their abilities to return to their job “stronger and more efficient,” she said.

Key skills that she said are essential to keep polished during this time include active listening, which is not only listening to respond but to also interpret the true meaning of what is being communicated to you and being able to respond accordingly. 

Similarly, she highlighted the importance of communication skills, both verbal and written, with a focus on the ability to be “clear, concise and logical.” 

Organizational skills are also key, Cresswell said, in maintaining the ability to meet deadlines, multi-task and to “always know the status of any activity point.” 

Digital courses 

Dominic Harvey, director at U.K. IT jobs site CWJobs, encouraged people on temporary leave to seek out free online courses to expand their knowledge and existing skillsets, adding that he himself had recently started a Google digital course in marketing. 

Another platform is edX, which has a range of free online courses, from top universities like Harvard, including “Modern masterpieces of world literature.” There are also courses focused on soft skills, such as “Creative thinking: Techniques and tools for success” by Imperial College London. 

Learning platform Coursera has both free and subscription courses, including soft skill courses like “Improving communication skills” by business school Wharton.

“Workers who undertake these courses will certainly benefit as business and HR leaders will value and recognize the proactivity to diversifying their skill sets during down time,” Harvey said. 

Half of U.K. employers are expecting to furlough staff due to the economic strain put on their business by the pandemic, according to a survey of 301 human resource workers by British body the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, published last week. 

Meanwhile, outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas found in a poll of 254 U.S. companies in March, that 37% of employers said that they were likely to furlough employees in the next three months.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Starmer Invites Innovators to Join Government Talent Scheme
UK Economy’s Strong Opening Quarter Shows Signs of Cooling
Harrods Seeks Court Order to Secure Al Fayed Estate for Victims
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
BBC Demands Perplexity AI Immediately Stop Using Its Content
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
Political Turmoil Resurfaces in Belgium Amid Economic Concerns
Fed policymakers divided on timing of interest rate cuts
Trump signals imminent agreement with Harvard University
Inheritance tax referendum alarms Swiss billionaire community
Japan cancels bilateral security meeting amid US defence demands
AI skeptic Emily Bender warns that ‘the emperor has no clothes’
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
Plans to Sell Dutch Embassy in Bangkok Face Local Opposition
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump's $5 Million 'Trump Card' Visa Program Draws Nearly 70,000 Applicants
DGCA Finds No Major Safety Concerns in Air India's Boeing 787 Fleet
Airlines Reroute Flights Amid Expanding Middle East Conflict Zones
Elon Musk's xAI Seeks $9.3 Billion in Funding Amid AI Expansion
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Taiwan Imposes Export Ban on Chips to Huawei and SMIC
Israel has just announced plans to strike Tehran again, and in response, Trump has urged people to evacuate
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Juncker Criticizes EU Inaction on Trump Tariffs
EU Proposes Ban on New Russian Gas Contracts
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
UK Home Secretary Apologizes Over Child Grooming Failures
×