Want a quick way to destroy value? Try bias.

If anyone still wanted proof that bias destroys value, a Google employee just provided it. A Google engineer sent a ten page internal memo arguing that women have “biological” reasons to be less successful in technology. This bro argued that biology makes women more likely to suffer from “neuroticism,” be “more prone to anxiety,” prefer “social or artistic areas,” and be less interested in status. This charming man labeled programs aimed at gender and race “discriminatory.”

The result? A firestorm, with media coverage and women inside and outside the company expressing outrage, saying that this man’s attitude isn’t uncommon, and in some cases threatening to quit. It’s the last thing Google needs. The Department of Labor is already suing the company for underpaying female employees, and Google’s own data is troubling: only 20% of Google’s tech employees are women, compared to a national average of 26%, while Asians are significantly underrepresented in leadership.

A national study shows the prevalence of bias

A recent study shows that these kinds of attitudes are all too common throughout corporate America, and that organizations are paying a price. Conducted by the research institute I lead, the Center for Talent Innovation, we surveyed a nationally representative sample of 3,570 white-collar employees and examined whether they perceive bias in how their supervisors assess their potential.

When looking at employees at large companies, more than one out of ten people of color perceive such bias, including 11.2% of Asians, who told us in interviews that they don’t get a fair shot at leadership positions. Over 14% of foreign-born employees at large companies—common in many technology companies—also perceive such bias in their current positions.

Employees suffer

We found that white-collar employees in large companies who perceive this kind of bias are 32% less likely to have received a raise, 45% less likely to have had their job responsibilities increased, 41% less likely to have received career development opportunities, and 25% less likely to have received a promotion over the past year.

Organizations pay a high price too

Their employers suffer too. Employees in large companies who perceive bias are more than twice as likely (75% vs 35%) to say they do not feel proud to work for their companies. They’re more than four times as likely (33% vs 8%) to say that they regularly feel alienated at work.

The result is weaker performance, innovation, and retention. Employees in large companies who perceive bias are 4.5 times as likely to have intentionally failed to follow through on an important assignment in the past six months (9% vs 2%). They’re 2.6 times as likely (34% vs 13%) to have withheld ideas and market solutions over the previous six months. They’re 3.1 times as likely (31% vs 10%) to say they intend to leave their current company within a year.

Solutions that benefit all employees

Our study also examined solutions. We found three that bring down bias: specific management behaviors that lead to inclusive leadership; diversity in senior leadership; and sponsorship.

When companies deploy these policies everyone benefits: according to our survey, white men too become less likely to perceive bias at work.

In other words, this Google bro got it exactly backwards: programs that help women and people of color get a fair shot at success aren’t “discriminatory” to guys like him. On the contrary, when the workplace is diverse and inclusive, the whole organization thrives.