Being able to interview with the entire team and demonstrate your hard and soft skills through multiple conversations and a presentation.

They could stop under-utilizing my talents and skills, or assuming that I know nothing or need to be micro-managed. Acknowledging the work that I do and my capability as an employee would also improve relations and communication greatly.

Prioritizing retention and employee development from the bottom-up. Middle management destroys efforts of diversity and inclusion by relegating minorities to the least priority and least visible tasks. Leaders should mentor and formally sponsor minority employees at the entry levels.

Have set paths of development for employees, and encourage development of all useful business skills such as foreign language learning, project management, or participation in corporate social responsibility and corporate citizenship efforts. Employees excel when not seen as confined to one role.

Out-dated attitudes about race and gender prevail, and top talent is not being retained. If Ashland doesn't aggressively promote from within, in a few short years the company won't exist. If young techs keep leaving and older scientists keep retiring, there will be no R&D, for example.

The global director stated to my face that my gender and race would prevent me from advancing in this company. I am not recognized for the business value that I bring no matter how well-documented it is, and am severely underpaid. Salary should be a respectable amount to reflect my efforts.