What are your go-to ways of keeping your IT staff engaged, motivated, and feeling valued in their roles?

Some great suggestions below.

One key one I would add is helping to understand the "Why" - why are we doing things, why is there project important and how it fits into the bigger picture the vision for IT and for the company.

I encourage them to train et give them time to do it and pay for it, also a give space for personnal project from time to time.

Ensuring the engagement, motivation, and sense of value among IT staff is crucial for overall team success. Here are some go-to strategies which worked for in various situations. By implementing a combination of these strategies basis, the individual or team maturity & companies' culture in mind, you can create an environment where IT staff feels engaged, motivated, and valued, leading to increased productivity and job satisfaction.

1. Clear & transparent communication
2. Professional Development Opportunities
3. Recognition and Rewards
4. Challenging Assignments
5. Flexible Work Arrangements
6. Team Building Activities
7. Empowerment and Autonomy
8. Feedback and Performance Reviews
9. Invest in a Positive Work Environment
10. Stay Competitive with Compensation

I employ several methods. For instance, I schedule one-on-one meetings with everyone, typically at their preferred frequency. These meetings are generally biweekly, though sometimes monthly. The purpose isn't solely to discuss work; some individuals prefer to use this time to talk about other topics. Naturally, if there are pressing issues, these take precedence, but the primary goal is to foster connections.

Additionally, I ensure that our projects include a few with high visibility. This approach allows team members to gain recognition and accolades upon completion. 

Lastly, I encourage continued education and learning. We are lucky to be in an institution where we can foster that type of growth and pay for classes, conferences, and similar.

I keep weekly 1:1 with each member of my team, I split the meeting into 2, the first part is to help them be engaged in their soft skills development (Whether they lack or not), and the second part is to focus on on their productivity. This way I can listen to what they are having in their minds, and have this open space, so both of us can reach agreements and actionables to make them productive and motivated.