There are few things more important to a company than gaining profits. No matter what it takes (as long as things remain legal), if the future of the business is at risk, company leaders are usually willing to make the changes necessary to alleviate it. Frequently, these changes involve things related to outward-facing presentation to consumers or stock holders.

It may come as somewhat of a surprise, but there are also a number of ways companies can look inwards to help boost sales or other bottom line goals. Companies that enjoy long-term success understand that the internal matters just as much as the external. In plain terms, it means that successful companies value happy employees and a positive company culture as much as brand identity and great product placement.

Company culture is an incredibly valuable part of a good business, and it plays a role in nearly every aspect of the work environment . Company culture has a profound impact on an organization’s ability to thrive as it influences productivity, collaboration, and turnover rate — among other things. If you and your company hope to create a stronger company culture, there are a few important places to start.

A Safe Place

First and foremost in the development of a strong company culture — and a good company to work for at all for that matter — is the creation of a safe place. Employees should always feel safe and comfortable in their work environments and in interacting with coworkers and supervisors. If they don’t, you have a serious problem on your hands that needs to be dealt with immediately.

The primary way these issues seem to come up is through uncomfortable or disrespectful treatment of female employees. Namely, it occurs when male employees or supervisors struggle to remain professional in their work environment or ignore obvious objections to behavior. It is critical to make sure everyone is well aware of the expectations of the office space and the definitions of consent  in order to prevent any sort of assault.

Employees should also have a firm understanding of the precautions the company takes to ensure their day-to-day safety. This includes things such as photo ID cards, doors that will not open from the outside without a pass, and online security. They should also be familiar with procedures in case of an emergency such as a break room fire or an active shooter in the building.

Strong Communication

The next major factor in developing a strong company culture is giving employees the space and ability to communicate. Doing so encompasses building trust in management so problems are quickly brought forward and resolved as well as enabling employees to develop coworker friendships and camaraderie.

Strong employee communication skills can bring a lot of unexpected benefits forward within your company. For example, they will be more willing to share ideas that can improve the pace and scale of production. Furthermore, they will be more likely to collaborate on big projects and get the ball rolling on complex projects more effectively.

Managers are one of the main building blocks of good communication in the office. They should be capable of explaining new concepts, being diplomatic in disputes, and creating a professional yet friendly environment. Another important role of managers is identifying talent in new hires  and helping them to grow and contribute positively to the company culture.

Team Building

When leadership says there will be a team building exercise, many employees roll their eyes and count down the minutes until it is all over. Fortunately, cheesy games are not the only way to encourage team building within your work environment. The best way to build great teams is to focus on how each person’s unique skill set can contribute to a project.

Other ways to help with team building is to work on developing a set of core values and a certain company pride  that can be shared amongst team members . A company that values employees, rewards them for doing well, and makes them want to stick around is bound to develop a great culture. Once again, managers play a key role in building a positive office vibe and giving people the opportunity to be successful.

Another means of continuing the good office vibes is to try to build a company culture outside of work. This can be a small group of employees who grab a beer together one night a week after work, the group who carpools together every morning , or the folks who play together on a company sponsored softball team. All of these things can help build a great culture that will carry over into a great work environment.

Office culture is a huge factor in job satisfaction and company productivity. A negative culture can slow everything down, create a high turnover rate, and ultimately hurt the bottom line. In order to create a great company culture, stick to core company values, provide a safe space for all employees, work on boosting communication, and create situations that allow for natural team building.