O2 has added a learning account and holiday trading to its flexible benefits scheme.

Employees can pay up to £80 a month into the learning account and the telecoms firm will contribute an extra 50% of this sum into the fund in order to encourage staff to expand their knowledge and skills through educational and training courses.

James Kirkland, group pensions manager at O2, said: "This doesn't have to be work-related, in fact it shouldn't be, if at all possible, because if it was to do with work we would have a training and development system in place for staff anyway."

Participating employees must sign up to the scheme for a period of 12 months and can draw on the saved cash at any point during the year to fund a course.

O2 has also added holiday trading to its flex scheme allowing staff to buy or sell up to three days' holiday. Existing flex options include childcare vouchers, dental care and retail vouchers.