When you have ambitious, high-performing individuals on your team, it's important that you know how to retain them. High-potential employees (HIPOs) are more likely to be seeking work with another company than non-HIPOs, according to Gartner. This tends to be especially true if your team or company is going through times of change. HIPOs often take on more responsibility to keep the organization powering along but sometimes don't receive the appropriate recognition, opportunities or promotions.

Stephanie Vozza, a contributor for Fast Company, asserts that there are some ways beyond pay to keep these go-getter employees happily working for you. We explore Vozza's takeaways on retaining top talent in this issue of Promotional Consultant Today.

Give them freedom. Don't restrict your top performers to their job descriptions. It's better to give them autonomy and let them pursue their passions. Managers should also encourage cross-collaboration. Employees who form strong relationships with colleagues are more likely to stay.

Invite them to participate in a stay interview. Continue your regular check-ins with employees but consider adding stay interviews to the mix. This is an opportunity to tap into the minds of high performers and discern how they feel about their job and the organization. Ask them questions such as, "What motivates you to stay here?" and "What might cause you to leave?"

Commit to open communication. It's important to have career conversations early and often if you want the best shot at keeping your HIPOs. Those who exhibit a go-getter mentality typically feel confident in their abilities but value appreciation and acknowledgment from their bosses. Have regular conversations with your team members to learn about their motivations and to thank them for a job well done.

Be responsive. People change. When you stay attuned to their successes, challenges and aspirations, you help them feel more engaged, which ultimately drives them to deliver value beyond their roles.

Help them grow. Highly ambitious employees have a growth mindset and don't want to stagnate in their roles. Invest in their growth by offering training and experiences that can help them grow personally and professionally.

Provide a clear path for advancement. High-performing individuals want to be paid well, but they also want to have a sense of purpose for what they do. Managers should give responsibility and recognition while showing how these employees can advance.

When it comes down to it, employers should think about how they can make their workplace a great place to work. Lead with authenticity, allow employees to do interesting work and create an empowering environment where people feel compelled to do their best every day. People crave purpose and meaningful relationships. If high-achieving employees don't find this on your team, they'll search for it somewhere else.

Source: Stephanie Vozza is a writer who specializes in business and regularly contributes articles to Fast Company. Her work has also appeared in Parade, Entrepreneur, Inc.com and SUCCESS magazines, and she has worked for major brands such as Staples, LinkedIn, HPE, ADP and Epson. Vozza was also named one of the top business writers to follow by HubSpot.