• British Council
  • The University of Sheffield

How to Succeed in the Global Workplace

Get off to a great start in your new job by learning the essential skills to succeed in a global workplace.

45,626 enrolled on this course

young woman and man at computer
  • Duration

    4 weeks
  • Weekly study

    3 hours

The British Council and The University of Sheffield have teamed up to help you succeed when you enter the workplace for the first time. Beginning your career or starting a new job brings to mind lots of questions, so we’ve designed a course to guide you through those initial weeks and months so you can make a really positive start to your career.

The course is for anyone looking to start work anywhere in the world. It will also provide an excellent refresher to those already in employment, or returning to work after a career break, as you brush up on the most important communication skills needed to step back into the working environment. For undergraduates and graduates it will give you an insight into how to manage yourself successfully and the skills necessary to succeed in the global workplace.

You’ll see videos from employers from small, medium and global organisations, giving you insights from around the world into what they look for from their new employees. You’ll learn how to communicate effectively across cultures in a professional way and discover the skills to build and maintain relationships with colleagues, managers and clients.

The course is highly participative and includes articles for you to read, videos to watch and interactive material with tips to help you feel confident about entering the workplace. There will also be discussions where you can learn from and support each other, self-reflective exercises and quizzes. Throughout the course you’ll be encouraged to collect a portfolio of your work which will help you with developing your future career.

The British Council has over 80 years’ experience as a global organisation working in more than 100 countries around the world. The University of Sheffield is one of the world’s top 100 universities, recognised globally for its excellent teaching, and international outlook.The course draws on both the British Council’s and The University’s expertise in online learning and will give you the opportunity to purchase a Certificate of Achievement or a Statement of Participation.

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What topics will you cover?

  • Negotiating yourself through the first days in a new job
  • How to make a good first impression
  • Active listening and clarifying information
  • Culture through global, cultural and personal influences
  • The elements that make up an organisation’s culture
  • Having effective intercultural conversations
  • Teamwork as a means of effective working practices
  • Building rapport with colleagues
  • Showing initiative in the workplace
  • Building an effective network
  • Developing time management skills
  • Developing confidence and resilience
  • Developing resilience through flexibility and adaptability

Learning on this course

On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

  • Develop an understanding of the communication skills need to effectively present yourself in a professional context
  • Develop an awareness of the underlying principles behind communicating effectively across different cultural environments
  • Explore the skills needed to build and maintain relationships in a professional context
  • Develop the ability to manage yourself in the modern workplace

Who is the course for?

This course is designed for anyone starting work, returning to work, or thinking ahead to the start of their career. It will be of particular interest to those in the early stages of their career, or those who are out of practice and need to update their skills. No prior knowledge or expertise are needed.

The course is aimed at native and non-native English speakers at around intermediate level (approximately B1 on the CEFR) or above.

What do people say about this course?

"What a fabulous course and the topic is so relevant for today's workplace that is full of change and diversity. So much excellent advice to be found here! Thank you again to the providers and Future Learn and fellow learners."

Who will you learn with?

I'm a Course Design Manager overseeing the development of Masters programs and MOOCs at the University of Leeds.

Hi, I've worked for British Council for over 15 years as trainer, product and talent lead and intercultural consultant. Looking forward to meeting you!

Manages the Information Team, responsible for developing the Careers Service website and creating interactive resources. Also responsible for providing an information service to our users.

Who developed the course?

British Council

The British Council builds connections, understanding and trust between people in the UK and other countries through arts and culture, education and the English language.

We work on the ground in more than 100 countries. In 2019-20 we connected with 80 million people directly and with 791 million people overall, including online and through our broadcasts and publications.

The University of Sheffield

The University of Sheffield is one of the world’s top 100 universities with a reputation for teaching and research excellence.

Learning on FutureLearn

Your learning, your rules

  • Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps to help you keep track of your learning
  • Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
  • Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores

Join a global classroom

  • Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
  • Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
  • Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others

Map your progress

  • As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
  • Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
  • Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate

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