It’s easy to overlook the quality of integrity when running the day-to-day operations of a business — but incorporating it into all of your business dealings and decisions can advance your company to greater levels of success. Integrity is synonymous with trust in the business world. After all, clients have to trust the people they do business with to keep them, so owning up to every responsibility is paramount.

The bottom line is consistency. A company needs to maintain what it says it does, and who it says it is.  Organizations that flourish over the long run commit to fundamental integrity in their products, services, processes and people. They “walk the talk,” even in tough times. Especially in rough economic times, to be someone your company and customers can trust is priceless. So while it might not seem immediately top on your list, your business can’t afford to compromise its integrity in this competitive market.

“When people choose to lead with integrity they position themselves at the top of their industry,” says Susan Riddering, co-founder of NorthStar360. “All the other details, like the product, or service come after integrity because people do business with people they know, like, and trust.”

Your reputation and relationships are all you really have. So nurture them and care about how you treat people from housekeeping to the most senior person. Maintaining integrity is in every step and mis-step you take as an organization. The communication within an organization can be a key indicator if integrity is present. Evaluate your communication practices in your organization.

Is the communication defensive?  The tone with which HR and senior management communicate to their employees sets the stage. When integrity is in place and people respect one another details like being on time to work and with deadlines fall into place. It’s not about Big Brother watching over you, but it’s suddenly about you watching over yourself. The power is in the employee. When employees feel cared about and have a voice in the workplace, it’s easy to put integrity into practice. And a better workplace is ripe with loyalists working together to grow the business.