As the economy gains momentum, IT professionals will have greater job opportunities, increasing the risk of turnover. In fact, employee retention is a concern many CIOs are struggling with today. In a recent survey, 43 percent of CIOs said that keeping existing workers is their top staffing priority.

When you think of retaining employees, no doubt the first people to come to mind are your top performers. In good times, retaining top IT talent is a high priority for CIOs. But even in today’s recession, many technology leaders are anxious to keep their most valuable staffers from jumping to better opportunities.

While providing competitive salaries and benefits is important to retain superior performers, retention isn’t just about compensation. There are several tactics CIOs can implement that cost little or no money, and they help build an environment that will make top IT professionals want to stay put.

Listen. Learn. Respond: As you begin to target your retention efforts, take the time to talk and listen to your most valued employees about what you can do to enhance their job satisfaction. People are motivated by different factors, so while one person might prefer greater professional challenge, another might seek a more flexible schedule. Find out what your top performers really need to be satisfied, and then do what you can to meet those needs.

Promote and offer training: The role of training is often ignored when it comes to retaining IT staff. What CIOs may not know is that many employees regard training as more important than money. Money tends to be a very short-term motivator and long-term de-motivator. IT professionals in particular see themselves as being change agents and truly value development more than anything else. Without a doubt, training can increase job satisfaction, innovation in strategies and products, capacity to adopt new technologies and methods, and efficiencies in processes – all of which provide measureable results and value to the business.

Keep employees interested: Ensuring that employees are working on interesting projects is vital to keeping them happy. "Techies" especially like to work on the newest and the greatest technologies. Mix it up every now and then; assign someone you might not normally to work on a project that they have shown an interest in. Chances are your top performers will continue to out-perform, gain new knowledge and skills, and stay engaged.

Recognize soft skills: An IT staff with soft skills is a key asset that CIOs should embrace. According to recent surveys, soft skills are far more important than technical skills to reach the top of the career ladder. In fact, IT Training magazine reports that 96% of survey respondents judged communication skills and interpersonal skills (i.e., soft skills) as the most important contributor to achieving career success. As an employee becomes more senior within an organization, it becomes less and less about technology, and more about the soft skills. There’s no dispute that hard skills are essential, but top IT performers who also possess strong soft skills should not go unappreciated – one of them may be your company’s future CEO.

Get employees out of the office: Keeping your employees happy in the workplace is extremely important, but getting people out of the office and away from computer screens may improve their creativity and focus. Getting away from the office for a day or even a few hours can get people's imaginations fired up. For example, taking your IT staff on a tour of a client’s business that utilizes your technology can help them realize the impact and contribution of their work. It may also inspire them to think of new and creative ways the client can use your technology.

Recognize performance: Employee motivation is indispensable for any corporate organization to keep the wheels of improvement rolling for better profits. All work and no recognition can turn the employee frustrated and reluctant about work. That’s why recognition is so important. Remember, recognition isn’t just about awards or cash – it’s about bringing achievements to the forefront so that a particular employee can savor the contribution he or she has made towards the organization. The ultimate goal of recognizing top performers is to help them realize their value and need in the organization. When employees feel needed and appreciated, they are much more likely to be content and loyal.

Keeping your star performers will become more of a challenge for CIO’s as the economy slowly turns around in the coming months. That is why investing time and energy in retaining top IT talent today will help ensure your best people are eager to stay on board with your company for the long term.