A SUPERMARKET chain has introduced an innovative scheme that helps employees improve their basic skills.

ASDA has introduced Skills for Life. The project gives employees, with below average numeracy and literacy skills, paid leave from their jobs to attend courses designed to raise their reading, writing or arithmetic abilities.

Marie Gill, head of organisational development for Asda, which has a store employing 300 people in Bromsgrove, said the scheme was about improving employees' quality of life.

"This wasn't about training people do to a better job," said Ms Gill. "Those who have done the courses so far are some of our best performing colleagues.

"We've always tried to go beyond what we need to do when it comes to development and we thought this initiative had the potential to make a real difference to the quality of people's lives."