McLEAN, Va. -

NADA University is rolling out a new annual study that replaces the biennial NADA Compensation Study and offers an enhanced look into dealership workforce trends.

The first NADA Dealership Workforce Study is slated to be released this summer and include data from 2011.

Explaining how it will be different from the NADA Compensation Study, officials noted this enhanced study will be conducted annually, meaning information that is “more localized and timely.”

Additionally, the “enhanced data collection” will allow for such details as retention, tenure, turnover, health and retirement benefits and hours of operations to be offered, as well as compensation information.

The NADA Dealership Workforce Study will also provide an individualized comparison report and the Driven Management Guide summary report for free to all dealers participating in the study.

The report will offer state-specific comparative data to help out executives with auto trade associations. It includes a new Web portal to make participation simple.

There will also be various report options from which to choose. Among those choices are individual and enhanced comparative dealer reports, statewide reports, OEM comparative reports, 20 Group composite reports and database subscriptions.

NADA University said these options haven’t been available before.

“This will be the most comprehensive, timely and accurate study of dealership workforce trends ever produced in our industry,” stated Bill Underriner, chairman of the National Automobile Dealers Association.

“We’re already hearing from OEMs, dealer groups, association executives and economists who are anxiously awaiting the chance to get their hands on these reports,” he continued.

Participation is free, but open only to NADA and American Truck Dealers members. Only participants will receive the free reports or have the choice to buy the optional more comprehensive reports.

Regarding privacy, officials emphasized: “Only a participating dealership will see its own data. All other data will be aggregated to protect dealership privacy.”

Sharing more perks of the study, they added: “All members will benefit from the greatest possible participation, which will enable NADA and the state associations to understand and help resolve the key compensation, recruitment, motivation and legislative issues facing dealers today.

“If sufficient responses are received, the data will also be reported at the metro association level,” they continued.

NADA and ATD members have through the end of April to participate. To learn more about participating, contact Cynthia Cook, manager of group programs and LMS at NADA University. She can be reached at (703) 821-7197 or at ccook@nada.org.

Data collection and analysis is being conducted by retail research and consulting firm DeltaTrends.

“It’s especially rewarding to work with NADA on such a large-scale study that will yield a level of information and data on the dealership workforce that is truly groundbreaking,” said Ted Kraybill, president and founder of DeltaTrends.