Imagine recruiting an individual for your linen, uniform or facility services operation who you are certain has the ability and desire to learn the business and move into a management post. You can’t say when this vacancy will appear, if at all. You might hire the person as a “management trainee” and close the recruiting deal by indicating that when such a position became available, your recruit would be the primary prospect for the job.

But how would you be sure this individual would persevere until the management position opens? You don’t want to lose such candidates, particularly to competitive ...