Dollar General

Dr. Johne Battle

Dr. Johné Battle is a business executive and thought leader who brings a combination of skillful talent development and human capital expertise. His understanding of human relations, personal branding, diversity and inclusion, and organizational performance has led to a successful business transformations and human capital counseling. Dr. Battle is currently the chief diversity officer for Dollar General Corporation, a $30 billion-plus retailer with more than 19,000 convenient, easy-to-shop stores in 47 states. He owns the strategy for diversity, and inclusion for over 170,000 associates, working across the organization using belonging indexes, talent-flow analyses, inclusive leader assessments and trainings, and other data. Prior to Dollar General, Dr. Battle was a senior client partner at Korn Ferry where he led clients through large-scale cultural transformation.

What are some of the challenges and trends impacting the marketplace today?

Creating inclusive settings isa  difficulty facing the industry, as diversity is often perceived as a strategic lens. As the world is intrinsically varied, inclusion, which includes both structural and behavioral inclusion, is what actually matters.

"My first piece of advice would be to begin with data and to ensure that it is both qualitative and quantitative. "

How do you envision the future of the space?

The workplace future will include organic, collective intelligence where it’s inherently integrated into organizations’  strategies, and inclusion is a main focus. This will help employees collaborate more, express themselves, and bring their authentic selves to the workplace.

What would be your piece of advice for budding professionals in the field?

My first piece of advice would be to begin with data and to ensure it is both qualitative and quantitative. For example, I first examine information  with a talent flow analysis that tracks new hires, promotions, and departures over a given time. Next, qualitative  focus groups help determine  how people experience the organization and how to improve its internal employment brand. A strategic identification of employees’ belonging indexes, combined with what inclusive innovation looks like for a particular business, ultimately generates creative and thoughtful decisions that can benefit everyone and foster collective good.