"over the last year or so, U.S. companies have made record profits,"

The article says that profits are up 28% from a year ago


"But the economy won't pick up -- and unemployment start to come down -- until businesses decide to invest in workers, and not just software. To do that, of course, they'll need more confidence that there's a light at the end of the tunnel -- and right now, that confidence is in short supply

If companies have a market for their goods or services and can't meet the demand they will invest in more workers. Most companies that move manufacturing out of the US do so because stock holders are demanding greater profits.