Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Sunday, Jun 01, 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

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
European and Arab Ministers Convene in Madrid to Address Gaza Conflict
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
UAE Offers Free ChatGPT Plus Subscriptions to Citizens
Lebanon Initiates Plan to Disarm Palestinian Factions
Iran and U.S. Make Limited Progress in Nuclear Talks
The Daily Debate: The Fall of the Dollar — Strategic Reset or Economic Self-Destruction?
Trump Administration's Tariff Policies and Dollar Strategy Spark Global Economic Debate
OpenAI Acquires Jony Ive’s Startup for $6.5 Billion to Build a Revolutionary “Third Core Device”
Turkey Weighs Citizens in Public as Erdoğan Launches National Slimming Campaign
Saudi-Spanish Business Forum Commences in Riyadh
Saudi Arabia and Spain Sign MoU to Boost SME Sectors
UK Suspends Trade Talks with Israel Amid Gaza Offensive
Iran and U.S. Set for Fifth Round of Nuclear Talks Amid Rising Tensions
Russia Expands Military Presence Near Finland Amid Rising Tensions
Indian Scholar Arrested in Crackdown Over Pakistan Conflict Commentary
Israel Eases Gaza Blockade Amid Internal Dispute Over Military Strategy
President Biden’s announcement of advanced prostate cancer sparked public sympathy—but behind closed doors, Democrats are in panic
A Chinese company made solar tiles that look way nicer than regular panels!
Indian jet shootdown: the all-robot legion behind China’s PL-15E missiles
The Chinese Dragon: The True Winner in the India-Pakistan Clash
Australia's Venomous Creatures Contribute to Life-Saving Antivenom Programme
The Spanish Were Right: Long Working Hours Harm Brain Function
Did Former FBI Director Call for Violence Against Trump? Instagram Post Sparks Uproar
US and UAE Partner to Develop Massive AI Data Center Complex
Apple's $95 Million Siri Settlement: Eligible Users Have Until July 2 to File Claims
US and UAE Reach Preliminary Agreement on Nvidia AI Chip Imports
President Trump and Elon Musk Welcomed by Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim with Cybertruck Convoy
Strong Warning Issued: Do Not Use General Chatbots for Medical, Legal, or Educational Guidance
Saudi Arabia Emerges as Global Tech Magnet with U.S. Backing and Trump’s Visit
This was President's departure from Saudi Arabia. The Crown Prince personally escorted him back to the airport.
NVIDIA and Saudi Arabia Launch Strategic Partnership to Establish AI Centers
Trump Meets Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara in Historic Encounter
Trump takes a blow torch to the neocons and interventionists while speaking to the Saudis
US and Saudi Arabia Sign Landmark Agreements Across Multiple Sectors
Why Saudi Arabia Rolled Out a Purple Carpet for Donald Trump Instead of Red
Elon Musk Joins Trump Meeting in Saudi Arabia
Trump says it would be 'stupid' not to accept gift of Qatari plane
Quantum Computing Threatens Bitcoin Security
Michael Jordan to Serve as Analyst for NBA Games
×