How Kontoor Brands cut through digital fatigue to build a thriving leadership community

Challenge

With 15,000 employees across 50+ countries, Kontoor Brands faced a classic “decentralized complexity” problem. Their leadership development felt disconnected and failed to build a sense of community.

• Engagement was low: Static content and one-way webinars weren’t creating the meaningful, interactive learning experiences leaders needed to grow.
• “Digital fatigue” was high: Their existing LMS was seen as a passive, “input-driven” tool that felt like a “tick-the-box” exercise.
• Leaders felt isolated: With no easy way to connect across time zones, peer-to-peer learning—a critical part of leadership development—was nearly impossible.

Melanie Calle, Sr. Manager of Talent Development, knew they needed to move beyond formal events and build a continuous learning culture. “We wanted to ensure that learning is truly experiential,” she explains.

Solution

Kontoor Brands used Howspace to create a single, living digital space for their leadership programs. This wasn’t just a new tool; it was a new way to gather, learn, and connect. The platform was hired to do the core job of connecting a scattered organization.

• One centralized space: The platform combined live sessions with self-paced activities, discussions, and resources, creating a seamless journey.
• Social learning at the core: Peer learning became the focus. “I strongly believe that learning from a peer resonates far more than learning from a teacher presenting theory,” Melanie says.
• Flexibility for a global team: Asynchronous discussions and multilingual features meant every leader could participate fully, regardless of their location or time zone.

Results

The shift from passive content to active community delivered immediate and measurable results.

• Engagement skyrocketed: The change was so impactful that leaders began requesting longer virtual sessions—a clear sign that they were getting immense value from the peer interactions.
• A global community was born: Howspace became a “digital living room” where leaders could share challenges and build relationships that extended beyond formal training. This directly addressed the “Supervisor/Leader Isolation” pain point.
• Learning that sticks: By connecting learning directly to real-world application and reflection, the program moved from a one-time event to a continuous process of growth that drove real business impact.