Survey: CEO’s Expect to Add Jobs Over Next 6 Months

A survey released Wednesday by the Business Roundtable reveals for the first time since the first quarter of 2008 that more CEO’s expect to add jobs than cut jobs.

According to the survey, 29 percent of chief executive expect to increase corporate payrolls over the next six months and 21 percent predict their work forces will decrease. As a matter of comparison, just 19 percent in the fourth quarter of 2009 expected their payrolls to increase.

The survey also showed 73 percent of CEO’s expect sales to grow over the next six months and just five percent expect sales to decrease.

In the fourth quarter of ’09, 68 percent expected sales growth, 17 percent expected declining sales and 15 percent predicted no change.

“As the economy recovers and demand returns, we are seeing across-the-board increases in sales, resulting in increased capital expenditures, less job reduction and some employment stabilization,” said Ivan G. Seidenberg, chairman of the group and CEO of Verizon Communications Inc., told the Associated Press.

The survey was taken from March 15-30 and included responses from 105 CEOs.

In other findings, 47 percent of CEO’s said they will increase capital spending in the next six months, which is up from the 40 percent who expected to increase spending in last year’s fourth quarter.