WGU C236 COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS
FINAL COMPREHENSIVE QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT ANSWERS
◉ What are considerations for compensation structures.
Answer: Competitiveness and ability to retain and attract employees
Fairness and equity across the organization
Collective bargaining agreements
Complexity and ability to track
Organizational culture
◉ Types of Compensation Structures.
Answer: Civil Service Model
Merit Pay Model
◉ Civil Service Model of Compensation.
Answer: oHighly structured
oSometimes also known as a "step and grade system"
oSteps may be spaced out with incremental pay increases
oTied to employee longevity (the longer an employee
works for the organization, the higher compensation they
,receive)
Might also include one-time longevity payments (like a bonus)
◉ Merit Pay Model of Compensation.
Answer: oPay-for-performance system
oTypically within an overall pay range
oThe range may increase with inflation
oShould be as objective as possible
How are managers evaluating employee performance?
oRequires ongoing analysis to provide pay equity across
the organization
◉ Wage Surveys and Compensation Studies.
Answer: Monitoring the average wage increases in other
jurisdictions can help a government determine the
appropriate level and validity of salary range or grade
structures for its own annual salary increases.
◉ How to obtain information for Wage Surveys and Compensation
Studies.
Answer: subscribing to
government- or industry-specific journals, engaging a
,consultant, reviewing peer government budget
documents, or contacting other governments directly to
ask questions.
◉ What is position management?.
Answer: oSystem for keeping track of "who does what" within an
organization
oInvolves determining how jobs are defined, how many
positions are needed, and what the organizational structure
should look like
oCan be defined differently within organizations
◉ Relationship between position management and compensation
structure?.
Answer: Position Management = WHAT
people do
+
Compensation Structures = HOW MUCH people are paid
=
Effective system for managing people
◉ Foundation of a strong personnel management
, structure.
Answer: written personnel policies and
procedures that are transparent to employees and reviewed and
updated on a regular basis.
◉ position control?.
Answer: oA system to maintain budgetary control on the authorized
number of funded positions
oEnsures that the number of filled positions authorized and
funded by the governing body is not exceeded by staff
◉ Why is effective budgeting of salary and wages important?.
Answer: o Need for accurate expenditure
projections
o Salaries make up the greatest portion of the expenditure budget
o Manage headcount levels in light of cost constraints
◉ How to effectively budget salary and wages?.
Answer: o Personnel tracking system
o Vacancy adjustments
o Collective bargaining units
o Impact of inflation
FINAL COMPREHENSIVE QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT ANSWERS
◉ What are considerations for compensation structures.
Answer: Competitiveness and ability to retain and attract employees
Fairness and equity across the organization
Collective bargaining agreements
Complexity and ability to track
Organizational culture
◉ Types of Compensation Structures.
Answer: Civil Service Model
Merit Pay Model
◉ Civil Service Model of Compensation.
Answer: oHighly structured
oSometimes also known as a "step and grade system"
oSteps may be spaced out with incremental pay increases
oTied to employee longevity (the longer an employee
works for the organization, the higher compensation they
,receive)
Might also include one-time longevity payments (like a bonus)
◉ Merit Pay Model of Compensation.
Answer: oPay-for-performance system
oTypically within an overall pay range
oThe range may increase with inflation
oShould be as objective as possible
How are managers evaluating employee performance?
oRequires ongoing analysis to provide pay equity across
the organization
◉ Wage Surveys and Compensation Studies.
Answer: Monitoring the average wage increases in other
jurisdictions can help a government determine the
appropriate level and validity of salary range or grade
structures for its own annual salary increases.
◉ How to obtain information for Wage Surveys and Compensation
Studies.
Answer: subscribing to
government- or industry-specific journals, engaging a
,consultant, reviewing peer government budget
documents, or contacting other governments directly to
ask questions.
◉ What is position management?.
Answer: oSystem for keeping track of "who does what" within an
organization
oInvolves determining how jobs are defined, how many
positions are needed, and what the organizational structure
should look like
oCan be defined differently within organizations
◉ Relationship between position management and compensation
structure?.
Answer: Position Management = WHAT
people do
+
Compensation Structures = HOW MUCH people are paid
=
Effective system for managing people
◉ Foundation of a strong personnel management
, structure.
Answer: written personnel policies and
procedures that are transparent to employees and reviewed and
updated on a regular basis.
◉ position control?.
Answer: oA system to maintain budgetary control on the authorized
number of funded positions
oEnsures that the number of filled positions authorized and
funded by the governing body is not exceeded by staff
◉ Why is effective budgeting of salary and wages important?.
Answer: o Need for accurate expenditure
projections
o Salaries make up the greatest portion of the expenditure budget
o Manage headcount levels in light of cost constraints
◉ How to effectively budget salary and wages?.
Answer: o Personnel tracking system
o Vacancy adjustments
o Collective bargaining units
o Impact of inflation
