Imagine walking into your workplace and facing blocked exits, rodent infestations, and unsafe working conditions. This was the reality for dozens of employees at more than 100 Dollar General stores, a retail giant with a massive U.S. footprint. Company leadership seemed slow to respond, but very quick to publicize their big profits.
But employees weren’t going to be ignored. Protests at the company's headquarters, employee walkouts at multiple stores, calls to the media, posts on social media, and continual government scrutiny eventually led Dollar General in 2024 to agree to a $12 million penalty settlement and promises for safety reforms.
Lessons on Followership
Leadership lessons in this story focus on employee experience and followership:
Employee activism: How employees, fed up with unsafe conditions and ignored concerns, took matters into their own hands to demand change.
The limitations of traditional leadership approaches: How leaders' initial responses, including a seemingly perfunctory safety audit, failed to address employee concerns and fueled further discontent.
The power of collective action: How employee activism, amplified by media coverage and regulatory scrutiny, ultimately compelled leaders to address the mounting safety concerns.
Want to Learn More?
Sage Originals Business Cases recently published my peer-reviewed business case on Dollar General’s leadership-followership crisis. The case includes teaching notes for professors exploring leader-follower dynamics in the classroom. If you’re interested, you can find the case study here. Sage offers a free trial for anyone interested.
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