"If executives are only staying at their jobs for roughly 35 months and they are becoming disillusioned after 14, that's more than a year and a half on average where they start thinking about the grass being greener, and they become open to new opportunities," said Dave Opton, CEO and founder of Execunet. That means companies looking to hold onto their prize hires should look to factors aside from pay.

In fact, only 9 percent of surveys respondents cited inadequate compensation as their reason for being discontent. Thirty-nine percent of executives cited "personal growth," or the lack thereof, with 13.2 percent noting limited advancement opportunities, 12.9 percent cited a lack of challenges and 6.5 percent itching for more managerial responsibilities. Twenty percent blamed workforce atmosphere, while 19 percent cited lifestlye issues, especially in terms of stress and a lack of work-life balance.