Very few people realize just how important company culture is to a successful business. This largely undefined rule refers to the beliefs and behaviors that determine how a company’s employees and management interact with each other and handle outside business transactions.

Often, company culture develops organically over time from the cumulative traits of the people that company hires. In other words, company culture is the vibe your office has and how it affects your employees. It deals with all aspects of office life – from how employees interact with each other to how management treats the employees. Company culture should be on top of your radar at all times because it has a direct impact on your employee’s willingness to go above and beyond for you and your company.

Seriously, if it isn’t already, put it in your to-do list to evaluate it this week. It’s that important to the success of your organization.

So, what kind of culture do you want to create?

At thirteen05, it’s important to us and our company that the culture is a positive and fun loving environment that induces creativity. So, for us, that means we have an open office space where ideas can flow freely. We’re often playing a random mix of loud music (anything from Frank Sinatra to Riff Raff) and always joking with each other. Our office is also pet friendly, so our staff is more than welcome to bring their dog, cat, gerbil – you get the point – to work.

Another perk our staff enjoys is a company lunch every Wednesday. We use this as an opportunity to come together as a group to discuss important issues. Our company culture is one of complete openness and transparency, where every member of our team knows where we’re at as a company at all times.

Now, this wouldn’t work for all companies. Company culture is going to vary from company to company, and industry to industry. You wouldn’t expect to see a creative firm like us and a law firm having similar cultures. Obviously, Coca-Cola can’t do company lunch every Wednesday and most business can’t be as open with their employees as we are.

Consider what kind of culture your work environment fosters. Are you happy with it? Would you even know how to change it if you discovered you weren’t happy?

These questions are often overlooked when it comes to running a business, simply because keeping things moving forward and bringing in a healthy amount of revenue is usually your only focus. But it’s just as important to take the time to evaluate your office environment, and avoid losing sight of what is going on in the office.

Ask yourself: Are your employees happy? How do they interact with each other? Is it in a way that reflects the values you believe your company should hold in a high regard?

I’m sure this article is raising more questions than it’s answering, but that’s the point. The whole point here is to make you think about your company’s culture, an often overlooked aspect of running a business. A positive culture creates happy employees. Happy employees are significantly more productive than disgruntled ones. It’s a win-win for you and your staff – they enjoy coming to work, and you have a successful business that you can be proud of. Take a step back every once in a while, and make sure you evaluate this often overlooked (but very important) aspect of a healthy and prosperous company.