WGU D355 TASK 2 | TOTAL REWARDS | 2026/2027 UPDATE 100% CORRECT 2026/2027 2026/2027 | Page 1 | Passing Score: 80%
WESTERN GOVERNORS UNIVERSITY
355 TASK 2 | TOTAL REWARDS | 2026/2027 UPDATE 100% CORRECT 20
TOTAL REWARDS · Official Exam 2026/2027
50 80% CERTIFIED
QUESTIONS PASSING SCORE RECERTIFICATION
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Section 1 Compensation Strategy and Structure Q1-Q13
Section 2 Benefits and Benefit Strategy Q14-Q27
Section 3 Employee Well-Being and Work-Life Effectiveness Q28-Q40
Section 4 Total Rewards Strategy and Evaluation Q41-Q50
Instructions: Select the single best answer for each question. This exam is designed for WGU D355 Total Rewards Task 2 preparation.
Passing score: 80% (40 questions correct).
WGU D355 TASK 2 | TOTAL REWARDS | 2026/2027 UPDATE 100% CORRECT 2026/2027 -- 2026/2027 | Passing Score: 80% | Page 1 of 35
,ION 1 | COMPENSATION STRATEGY AND STRUCTURE | Q1-Q13 | WGU D355 TASK 2 | TOTAL REWARDS | 2026/2027 UPDATE 100% CORRECT 2026/2027 2026
Q1 Question 1 of 50
A 42-year-old HR director at a mid-size manufacturing firm is reviewing the company's job evaluation
system and notices that positions requiring specialized technical certifications are classified at the
same grade as general administrative roles. The director wants to ensure internal equity across
diverse job families. The most appropriate job evaluation method to address this issue is:
A. Classification method, which places jobs into pre-defined grade categories based on broad level
descriptions
B. Job ranking method, which orders positions from highest to lowest value based on overall
organizational contribution
C. Point-factor method, which assigns compensable factors with weighted points to systematically
compare dissimilar jobs
D. Market pricing method, which relies exclusively on external survey data to set pay rates for each
position
Correct Answer: C
Rationale:
The point-factor method is best because it breaks down jobs into compensable factors such as skill, effort,
responsibility, and working conditions and assigns weighted points, enabling systematic comparison across dissimilar
job families. The ranking method is too subjective for diverse jobs, the classification method forces jobs into broad
buckets that may not capture nuance, and market pricing addresses external rather than internal equity.
WGU D355 TASK 2 | TOTAL REWARDS | 2026/2027 UPDATE 100% CORRECT 2026/2027 -- 2026/2027 | Passing Score: 80% | Page 2 of 35
,ION 1 | COMPENSATION STRATEGY AND STRUCTURE | Q1-Q13 | WGU D355 TASK 2 | TOTAL REWARDS | 2026/2027 UPDATE 100% CORRECT 2026/2027 2026
Q2 Question 2 of 50
A 35-year-old compensation analyst is tasked with designing a pay structure for a rapidly growing
technology company that needs flexibility to move employees across project teams. The CEO wants
fewer pay grades with wider pay ranges to accommodate lateral moves without pay adjustments. The
pay structure that best meets this need is:
A. Traditional graded structure, which uses many narrow pay ranges to provide precise differentiation
between job levels
B. Broadbanding, which collapses multiple traditional pay grades into fewer wide bands, providing greater
flexibility for lateral moves and skill development
C. Step-based structure, which advances employees through predetermined pay increases based on
tenure within a single grade
D. Pay-for-knowledge structure, which ties compensation to the number of skills an employee has
mastered rather than job level
Correct Answer: B
Rationale:
Broadbanding reduces the number of pay grades and widens pay ranges, allowing employees to move laterally across
roles without immediate pay adjustments, which is ideal for a dynamic tech company. Traditional graded structure
provides precision but restricts lateral movement. Step-based focuses on tenure not flexibility. Pay-for-knowledge
focuses on skills but does not directly address the need for broader bands.
WGU D355 TASK 2 | TOTAL REWARDS | 2026/2027 UPDATE 100% CORRECT 2026/2027 -- 2026/2027 | Passing Score: 80% | Page 3 of 35
,ION 1 | COMPENSATION STRATEGY AND STRUCTURE | Q1-Q13 | WGU D355 TASK 2 | TOTAL REWARDS | 2026/2027 UPDATE 100% CORRECT 2026/2027 2026
Q3 Question 3 of 50
A compensation manager at a regional hospital system is conducting a market pay survey and
discovers that the organization's registered nurse pay rates are at the 40th percentile of the market.
The hospital is experiencing a 22% annual turnover rate among nurses. To improve retention, the
manager recommends moving to the 65th percentile. The primary strategic reason for this decision is
that:
A. A lag market position saves money in the short term and relies on non-monetary benefits to retain
employees in competitive markets
B. A lead market position at the 65th percentile reduces turnover costs by making the hospital's total
compensation more attractive than competitors, offsetting the higher labor costs with savings from reduced
recruitment and training
C. Matching the market median ensures the hospital pays competitive wages without overpaying, which is
the most cost-efficient approach
D. Pay percentile strategy has no meaningful impact on turnover rates in healthcare settings because
nurses are primarily motivated by mission alignment
Correct Answer: B
Rationale:
Moving to the 65th percentile (a lead market position) makes the hospital's pay more attractive, directly reducing
turnover and associated costs like recruitment, onboarding, and lost productivity. A lag position would worsen turnover.
Matching the median may not be sufficient in a competitive market with 22 percent turnover. The idea that pay has no
impact on turnover contradicts extensive compensation research.
WGU D355 TASK 2 | TOTAL REWARDS | 2026/2027 UPDATE 100% CORRECT 2026/2027 -- 2026/2027 | Passing Score: 80% | Page 4 of 35
WESTERN GOVERNORS UNIVERSITY
355 TASK 2 | TOTAL REWARDS | 2026/2027 UPDATE 100% CORRECT 20
TOTAL REWARDS · Official Exam 2026/2027
50 80% CERTIFIED
QUESTIONS PASSING SCORE RECERTIFICATION
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Section 1 Compensation Strategy and Structure Q1-Q13
Section 2 Benefits and Benefit Strategy Q14-Q27
Section 3 Employee Well-Being and Work-Life Effectiveness Q28-Q40
Section 4 Total Rewards Strategy and Evaluation Q41-Q50
Instructions: Select the single best answer for each question. This exam is designed for WGU D355 Total Rewards Task 2 preparation.
Passing score: 80% (40 questions correct).
WGU D355 TASK 2 | TOTAL REWARDS | 2026/2027 UPDATE 100% CORRECT 2026/2027 -- 2026/2027 | Passing Score: 80% | Page 1 of 35
,ION 1 | COMPENSATION STRATEGY AND STRUCTURE | Q1-Q13 | WGU D355 TASK 2 | TOTAL REWARDS | 2026/2027 UPDATE 100% CORRECT 2026/2027 2026
Q1 Question 1 of 50
A 42-year-old HR director at a mid-size manufacturing firm is reviewing the company's job evaluation
system and notices that positions requiring specialized technical certifications are classified at the
same grade as general administrative roles. The director wants to ensure internal equity across
diverse job families. The most appropriate job evaluation method to address this issue is:
A. Classification method, which places jobs into pre-defined grade categories based on broad level
descriptions
B. Job ranking method, which orders positions from highest to lowest value based on overall
organizational contribution
C. Point-factor method, which assigns compensable factors with weighted points to systematically
compare dissimilar jobs
D. Market pricing method, which relies exclusively on external survey data to set pay rates for each
position
Correct Answer: C
Rationale:
The point-factor method is best because it breaks down jobs into compensable factors such as skill, effort,
responsibility, and working conditions and assigns weighted points, enabling systematic comparison across dissimilar
job families. The ranking method is too subjective for diverse jobs, the classification method forces jobs into broad
buckets that may not capture nuance, and market pricing addresses external rather than internal equity.
WGU D355 TASK 2 | TOTAL REWARDS | 2026/2027 UPDATE 100% CORRECT 2026/2027 -- 2026/2027 | Passing Score: 80% | Page 2 of 35
,ION 1 | COMPENSATION STRATEGY AND STRUCTURE | Q1-Q13 | WGU D355 TASK 2 | TOTAL REWARDS | 2026/2027 UPDATE 100% CORRECT 2026/2027 2026
Q2 Question 2 of 50
A 35-year-old compensation analyst is tasked with designing a pay structure for a rapidly growing
technology company that needs flexibility to move employees across project teams. The CEO wants
fewer pay grades with wider pay ranges to accommodate lateral moves without pay adjustments. The
pay structure that best meets this need is:
A. Traditional graded structure, which uses many narrow pay ranges to provide precise differentiation
between job levels
B. Broadbanding, which collapses multiple traditional pay grades into fewer wide bands, providing greater
flexibility for lateral moves and skill development
C. Step-based structure, which advances employees through predetermined pay increases based on
tenure within a single grade
D. Pay-for-knowledge structure, which ties compensation to the number of skills an employee has
mastered rather than job level
Correct Answer: B
Rationale:
Broadbanding reduces the number of pay grades and widens pay ranges, allowing employees to move laterally across
roles without immediate pay adjustments, which is ideal for a dynamic tech company. Traditional graded structure
provides precision but restricts lateral movement. Step-based focuses on tenure not flexibility. Pay-for-knowledge
focuses on skills but does not directly address the need for broader bands.
WGU D355 TASK 2 | TOTAL REWARDS | 2026/2027 UPDATE 100% CORRECT 2026/2027 -- 2026/2027 | Passing Score: 80% | Page 3 of 35
,ION 1 | COMPENSATION STRATEGY AND STRUCTURE | Q1-Q13 | WGU D355 TASK 2 | TOTAL REWARDS | 2026/2027 UPDATE 100% CORRECT 2026/2027 2026
Q3 Question 3 of 50
A compensation manager at a regional hospital system is conducting a market pay survey and
discovers that the organization's registered nurse pay rates are at the 40th percentile of the market.
The hospital is experiencing a 22% annual turnover rate among nurses. To improve retention, the
manager recommends moving to the 65th percentile. The primary strategic reason for this decision is
that:
A. A lag market position saves money in the short term and relies on non-monetary benefits to retain
employees in competitive markets
B. A lead market position at the 65th percentile reduces turnover costs by making the hospital's total
compensation more attractive than competitors, offsetting the higher labor costs with savings from reduced
recruitment and training
C. Matching the market median ensures the hospital pays competitive wages without overpaying, which is
the most cost-efficient approach
D. Pay percentile strategy has no meaningful impact on turnover rates in healthcare settings because
nurses are primarily motivated by mission alignment
Correct Answer: B
Rationale:
Moving to the 65th percentile (a lead market position) makes the hospital's pay more attractive, directly reducing
turnover and associated costs like recruitment, onboarding, and lost productivity. A lag position would worsen turnover.
Matching the median may not be sufficient in a competitive market with 22 percent turnover. The idea that pay has no
impact on turnover contradicts extensive compensation research.
WGU D355 TASK 2 | TOTAL REWARDS | 2026/2027 UPDATE 100% CORRECT 2026/2027 -- 2026/2027 | Passing Score: 80% | Page 4 of 35
