Small businesses are hiring, survey finds
 
 
A new survey of small and mid-sized businesses in New England found that 42 percent of respondents are planning to make new hires this year, compared with 29 percent last year.
 
The survey is from Insight Performance Inc., a human resources consulting firm, and the Smaller Business Association of New England, or SBANE, a not-for-profit association of 800 member companies located throughout the six-state region.
 
"Most companies expect business conditions will continue to improve through 2010, but expect progress to be slow and incremental," Insight Performance and SBANE said in a press release.
 
Another survey finding: 43 percent of businesses are planning base-pay increases in 2010, compared with 29 percent last year.
 
The survey polled small and mid-sized New England companies with generally fewer than 50 employees and annual revenues of $20 million or less, Insight Performance and SBANE said.
 
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