Colorado small businesses increased their hiring slightly in January, by 0.1 percent.

While small, the increase is encouraging as it follows a series of other monthly increases. In December, small-business employment increased by 0.15 percent.

According to the Small Business Employment Index, compiled monthly by California-based software giant Intuit, small business jobs increased by 0.11 percent nationally.

Data for the report is gathered anonymously from 171,000 businesses with 20 or fewer workers. The businesses use Intuit Online Payroll and Quickbooks Online Payroll software.