The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly accelerated shifts in the way we work and connect. Many of us have pivoted to a virtual environment, and this new culture has changed the way we learn. Prior to the pandemic, PVH University held both in-person and virtual courses; now courses are 100% virtual. However, over the past year, PVH U has not only maintained, but has seen an increase in course enrollments and engagement. “The pandemic made change a necessity, and in response the team focused on being as proactive as possible. They worked to understand associate learning needs and deliver solutions that were both pragmatic and innovative in a human-centered way,” said Christi Downes, EVP, Global Talent Management & Development.
The question is: How did they do it? How did PVH U quickly pivot their offerings and foster a culture of learning & development virtually in a time of immense change?
Hyper-Relevant Coursework
When designing courses, PVH U has been laser focused on creating coursework for topics that are both culturally and professionally relevant to the PVH workforce. The team actively asks associates what they want to learn about, while also identifying skills that are important for the evolution of the business. They also worked quickly to transform the most popular in-person digital courses to digital courses available on the PVH U platform anytime, anywhere.
Some of the most popular courses in 2020 included navigating and leading change, setting boundaries while working from home, focus and productivity, and self-awareness.
In addition, the PVH U team has teamed up with Business Resource Groups (BRGs) such as Working Parents to deliver personalized sessions on targeted topics. These sessions are led by experts in the field and ‘Powered by PVH University’ to enable associates to learn about information that is important to them., such as working from home with kids and ally ship.
“It was a balance of data and intuition. Based on activity and engagement metrics, we were able to give associates more of what they were interested in. In other cases we took a test and learn approach, like with our Live Labs series, which are live virtual sessions that focus on practical tips and associate Q+A. That mindset enabled us to prototype quickly and adapt from there,” said Megan Comerford, VP of Talent Development.
“I’m lucky to have such a creative team – we draw inspiration from other industries, from social media, and from our own lives.”
Their work has recently earned them a Brandon Hall Award for Best Advancement in Learning Technology.
Timely & Engaging Communications
The PVH U team has harnessed the power of internal communication channels to connect with global associates. Most notably, they have built a large following on our company’s desktop and mobile news app, PVH Insider. They leverage the channel to market new courses, post quick tip videos, share relevant articles, celebrate achievements and send drops of inspiration to the global PVH team.
Their marketing efforts have seen tremendous success. PVH U channel is ranked No. 1 on PVH Insider, and the exploration continues to explore different content approaches to elevate enrollments and engagement.
New Programs that Meet Associate Needs
PVH U recognized that although thousands of associates were taking courses there was not an easy way for them to showcase what they had learned. This led the team to partner with Credly to create a Digital Badging program. Digital Badging allows associates to take defined coursework on a topic and then earn a digital badge upon successful completion of the curriculum. Associates can share their accreditation internally and externally on social platforms to promote their personal brand.
Since launch in October 2020, over 2,000 associates have earned digital badges on topics such as Virtual Collaboration, Inclusion & Diversity and Leadership, and the feedback has been very positive.