New appointment: Thomas H. Olinde, president and general manager of Olinde’s Furniture, has been appointed to the National Home Furnishings Association’s board of directors. Olinde will join the board of the retailer organization on Friday.
New year, new jobs: Twenty percent of companies who participated in a national survey say they plan to add permanent, full-time workers in 2010. That’s up from the 14% who planned to hire workers in 2009, says CareerBuilder.com. The company, which surveyed more than 2,700 hiring managers, says it cautiously expects to see actual job growth no sooner than the spring. Nine percent of businesses say they plan to reduce full-time staffing in 2010, down from 16% in 2009. Hiring is expected to be strongest in the West, with 24% of businesses planning to add workers. One bit of bad news for employees: Fifty-seven percent of businesses plan to raise salaries for existing workers, down from the 65% that planned to give out raises in 2009.
Must be the prices: Walmart has topped a consumer survey of the favorite national retailers. Market Force Information came up with the list based on a survey of 300,000 shoppers and merchandisers. Kohl’s was named as the second favorite retailer, followed by Target and JCPenney.
