The hiring plans of small businesses in the United States are slowing down, with fewer entrepreneurs expecting to expand their workforces, according to a survey conducted for The Wall Street Journal. This decline in hiring expectations is attributed to increased competition for workers during the pandemic, as well as the difficulty of meeting high pay expectations. Small businesses are also becoming more cautious due to fears of an economic slowdown and are cutting back on hiring in response to customer cutbacks. The labor market has shown some resilience, with employers adding jobs in certain sectors. Small businesses increasingly turn to staff training and automation to reduce the need for additional employees.