Company culture is evident in all areas of your business — your employees can see it, your customers can see it, and your suppliers can see it.

Is integrity shown through everything you do? Are your customers so confident in your company that they wouldn’t think of calling anyone else?

That’s why it’s so important to have a code, or a standard of culture. Here’s what I recommend:

•    Integrity: It is always the right time to do the right thing.
•    Respect: Treat others regarding their values as human beings.
•    Honesty: Interact truthfully with all parties.
•    Responsibility: All employees take ownership for their actions.
•    Freedom: Employees are empowered to take care of business situations as they arise.
•    Empathy: The team seeks to understand the feeling and thoughts of others.
•    Achievement: Develop the skills to achieve and enjoy the success of others.

Adhering to this code of conduct will promote ethical behavior, provide a guiding principle, and insure best business practices. This will set your company apart from the competition, provide the employees with a place of employment they are proud of, and encourage customer word of mouth.

Mike Moore is the HVAC Training Director at HVAC Learning Solutions, an HVAC industry expert in sales, technical, and business training. Visit Mike’s blog for more insights. Mike can be reached on Twitter @hvaclearning or on Google+ at gplus.to/hvactraining.