Churn among top IT staff has hit new heights as the perceived strategic nature of their role diminishes, new research has found.

A survey by recruitment firm Harvey Nash showed that 10 per cent of chief information officers (CIOs) and senior technology professionals felt that their job was becoming less strategic, while almost 60 per cent expected to move jobs within two years.

Board level perception of IT has also fallen, with half of CFOs viewing it merely as a support function not requiring board level representation.

According to Harvey Nash, the problem is a perceived failure to deliver innovation. Two thirds of respondent companies said they had no structured approach to IT innovation, with the majority of those that did reporting only limited success.

As a result, over a quarter of senior IT professionals said they would leave their current role to have more hands on involvement in business strategy, while almost a third claimed to be already looking. This year has seen a 15 per cent increase in the number of technology professionals occupying their job for less than a year.

John Whiting, managing director of UK IT at Harvey Nash said that the decline of IT’s strategic influence was troubling, but the resulting restlessness in the sector was more disturbing.

"The most effective and satisfied CIOs will remain those in environments which fully comprehend the critical influence of IT upon a company’s success," he added. "In return, senior IT professionals clearly have to continue to prove that their contribution is intrinsic to success and growth."