N.J. business owners anticipate improving sales, more hires

Business owners in New Jersey say they are more optimistic about the future.

Seventy percent of the business executives surveyed by the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce expect their companies’ business will improve over the next 12 months.

Almost all of the executives said they plan to maintain or add to their workforce, said Tom Bracken, chamber president.

“They feel that their companies are going to improve and they feel revenues are going to increase because what drives staff increases is usually improvement in revenues,” he said Thursday.

Bracken said the pro-business agenda of the Gov. Chris Christie administration is helping to improve companies’ confidence about future gains.

The executives polled said their biggest challenges are attracting new customers and dealing with the cost of their employees’ health insurance and benefits.