Is growth in business or hiring just around the corner? A study of European business leaders has revealed nearly 40% are planning to invest in existing talent, while a quarter claim they will invest in training as this long awaited confidence makes a welcome return to the market with over half of all companies across the continent predicting minimum growth of 10% by the end of 2011.
 

And this return of optimism is likely to have a far-reaching and positive impact on the job sector, with over half of all businesses expecting to increase staff numbers over the next 12 months.

During the recent recession firms were encouraged to focus solely on their core business, however, research by the European Business Awards shows that only 6% of European businesses plan on following this mantra in the coming year.

And after three years of many businesses being content just to survive, a third are now looking to dominate their sector and have ambitions to grow.

When it comes to where the growth will come from, 29% say their best opportunities are in diversifying their products and services and a further third point towards trading overseas.

This is good news for specialists in these areas who may be in demand to make it a reality with businesses needing to work with experienced people on the ground in new markets.

Adrian Tripp, CEO of the European Business Awards said: “It is greatly encouraging that after a tumultuous couple of years, businesses across Europe are predicting brighter times ahead. Our research indicates that business leaders are setting themselves up for growth and they have ambitious targets in terms of levels of trade and staffing levels.”

• Listen to the podcast above to find out what this means for HR, trainers and recruiters.