One of the great ironies of life in the linen, uniform and facility services industry is that while personnel costs are among the largest expenses we face—too often, human resources (HR) programs get short shrift in terms of planning and strategic focus. That’s a situation our industry can no longer afford, given the challenges we face in hiring and retaining quality hourly and management staff.

The flip side of this issue is the fact that the potential liabilities associated with managing people are now greater than ever. The recent rash of sexual-harassment scandals involving politicians, Hollywood stars, media personalities and ...