Saving money, paying off debt and building for the future present difficult challenges for many employees. There are several low-cost, high-return ways an employer who cares can help employees deal with these challenges while also engendering their loyalty.

Here are some ways to help:

If you offer a 401(k) plan and have employees who can’t contribute because they’re paying off student loan debt, a program called Secure 2.0 can help. This program lets you offer matching contributions to employees making student loan payments and put that match into the employee’s 401(k). A separate law in effect through 2025 allows employers to give employees up to $5,250 tax-free to offset the payment of principal and interest on most types of student loans.

Subsidize employee home office costs. Since the work-from-home trend seems to have become a permanent fixture in the business world, consider helping pay for some of these costs. Costs you might subsidize include office supplies, internet services and other consumable items. You might even set up a supply closet where employees can come to the office to re-stock — a sneaky way to get them to show up once in a while.

Provide paid time off to volunteer in the community. Many companies turn volunteer time into team building by getting a group to work on such projects as building a Habitat for Humanity home, working with Meals on Wheels or Project Angel Heart or staffing a food bank.

Offer professional advice either online or in person. If you offer a 401(k) plan, for example, you might arrange an information session with your plan advisor so employees can ask questions or seek advice or explanations about investment options. If you choose this approach, make sure to lay out specific guidelines about the limits on advice and restrictions on the advisor for seeking personal advisory relationships with employees. Another area of professional advice employees find valuable is access to employer-paid legal services for leases, small claims court filings and powers of attorney.

Contribute to employee health savings accounts (HSAs). If you offer a qualifying high-deductible medical insurance plan, HSAs are important since these plans allow pre-tax contributions by employees and direct employer contributions. HSAs can be invested in limited ways, allowing the unused balance to increase, becoming a valuable benefit to cover unreimbursed medical expenses.

Arrange a reduced cost fitness center membership for employees. Fitness facilities can be fairly expensive and could impose costly and restrictive enrollment and disenrollment procedures. Using your clout as an entity that can bring a group to the facility also could enable you to negotiate unrestricted, fee-free cancellations and similar perks for your employees.

Join a chamber of commerce — or two — and make sure employees know membership covers everyone who works at your company. Chambers of commerce offer free or low-cost training programs, business networking opportunities, volunteer opportunities and much more.

Employee retention in a competitive jobs environment is critical — think unemployment rates under 4 percent. It takes far more time and resources to recruit, hire and train a new employee than it does to retain four or five existing employees. Perks can help.

Note: This column is not intended as financial, legal or tax planning advice. Always consult the appropriate professional advisors.