Career advice

Learn New Soft Skills

Soft skills are skills that help you work well with others, they're vital in today's workplace. Whether you want to improve your communication skills, think more creatively or learn how to lead, find a soft skills course to help you get ahead at work.

Discover how soft skills could help you

  • Communication skills

    Nearly every job involves other people. By developing your communication skills, you'll be better at collaborating on projects, sharing information effectively, and negotiating with colleagues, clients or employers.

  • Leadership skills

    To lead people, you have to understand them. Want to apply for a promotion or take charge of a new project? Developing skills like empathy, cultural intelligence and decision-making could help you get there.

  • Collaboration and teamwork

    Collaboration can produce great ideas and help make companies more efficient. Develop your ability to work in a team and you could boost your career by helping your company and colleagues be more productive.

  • Creative thinking

    Creative problem-solving can help answer the toughest business questions, even in jobs that don’t seem creative. Grow your creative skills to see new ways to improve your career or to make changes in your workplace.

Pick up new soft skills. Join a soft skills course

The Open University & The Open University Business School

Business Fundamentals: Customer Engagement

Learn how to design business and marketing activities to engage customers through relationships instead of one-off sales.

4 weeks

3 hrs per week

Included in Unlimited

The Open University & The Open University Business School

Business Fundamentals: Effective Communication

Gain a practical grounding in communication to boost your personal effectiveness, save you time and reduce your stress levels.

4 weeks

3 hrs per week

Included in Unlimited

Darden School of Business, University of Virginia

Fundamentals of Project Planning and Management

Learn the basics of project planning and management so you can run effective projects at work or in daily life.

4 weeks

2 hrs per week

Included in Unlimited

University of Leeds

Innovation Management: Winning in the Age of Disruption

Learn how successful organisations like IBM manage innovation to disrupt markets and achieve business advantage.

2 weeks

4 hrs per week

Included in Unlimited

The Open University & The Open University Business School

Management and Leadership: Leading a Team

Develop a business plan and build a team with this online course from The Open University and CMI.

4 weeks

3 hrs per week

Included in Unlimited

The Open University & The Open University Business School

Management and Leadership: Well-being and Welfare at Work

Learn to support the development and well-being of the people you manage with this online course from The Open University and CMI.

4 weeks

3 hrs per week

Included in Unlimited

University of Leeds

Learning Online: Communicating and Collaborating

Become an effective online learner and develop your online communication skills when working with others.

2 weeks

2 hrs per week

Included in Unlimited

Deakin University

Professional Resilience: Building Skills to Thrive at Work

Learn how to make your mindset stronger in your personal and professional life.

2 weeks

3 hrs per week

Included in Unlimited

Darden School of Business, University of Virginia

Getting Started with Agile and Design Thinking

Get an introduction to agile product development and design thinking so you can build better digital products.

4 weeks

4 hrs per week

Included in Unlimited

Shanghai International Studies University (SISU)

Intercultural Communication

Learn the essentials of cross-cultural interaction with this free online intercultural communication course.

5 weeks

4 hrs per week

Included in Unlimited

The Open University & The Open University Business School

Business Fundamentals: Effective Networking

Learn how to build and sustain your network to enhance your professional relationships and open up career opportunities.

4 weeks

3 hrs per week

Included in Unlimited

The Open University & The Open University Business School

Management and Leadership: Growing as a Manager

Explore the foundations of successful management with this free online course from The Open University and CMI.

4 weeks

3 hrs per week

Included in Unlimited

The Open University & The Open University Business School

Management and Leadership: Planning Your Personal Development

Focus on and plan your personal development as a manager with this online course from The Open University and CMI.

4 weeks

3 hrs per week

Included in Unlimited

The Open University & The Open University Business School

Business Fundamentals: Project Management

Gain the basic skills to manage all phases of project lifecycles effectively, using the most appropriate methods and tools.

4 weeks

3 hrs per week

Included in Unlimited

CIPD - Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development

People Management Skills

Learn about the key methods, strategies and principles of people management and develop your own management style.

5 weeks

3 hrs per week

Included in Unlimited

Coventry University

Business Model Thinking

Gain an introduction to business model thinking and learn how to turn your big ideas into real business opportunities.

2 weeks

3 hrs per week

Included in Unlimited

University of Groningen

Decision Making in a Complex and Uncertain World

This course will teach you the first principles of complexity, uncertainty and how to make decisions in a complex world.

7 weeks

5 hrs per week

Included in Unlimited

Browse more courses in Business & Management and Language

The benefits of taking soft skills courses online with FutureLearn

Learn flexibly online, for free

Develop valuable skills with a short, online soft skills course, wherever you are. Start learning for free, on desktop, tablet or mobile.

Upgrade or buy Unlimited for extra benefits

Upgrade your course for ongoing access to the course content, tests, and the chance to gain a Certificate of Achievement. Buy Unlimited for access to hundreds of short courses in a year and the ability to keep access to courses you gain a certificate on.

Meet other professionals

Learn with experts from top international universities and business schools. Network with professionals from all over the world.

Learning at Work Week logo

Learning at Work Week 2020

18th - 24th May

Organised by the UK's Campaign for Learning, Learning at Work Week is an annual event highlighting the benefits of learning in the workplace. This year's theme is 'Shaping the Future'.

  • Encourages people to embrace learning at work
  • Promotes positive attitudes to learning
  • A good excuse to start learning today

Campaign for Learning