A project is scheduled to end in 2 weeks. The team is expected to continue working long hours and is showing signs of weariness and fatigue. What should the project manager do lo encourage the team?

The correct answer is D. Initiate rewards and incentives according to assessment results.. To encourage a weary team nearing a project's end, the project manager should implement a system of rewards and incentives based on performance or contributions.

Submitted by yuki_2020· Apr 18, 2026People

Question

Options

ASchedule training courses to enhance team performance.
BSchedule working lunch meetings until the project is complete.
CAdd new team members to help the project finalization.
DInitiate rewards and incentives according to assessment results.

How the community answered

(70 responses)

A
6% (4)
B
11% (8)
C
3% (2)
D
80% (56)

Why each option

To encourage a weary team nearing a project's end, the project manager should implement a system of rewards and incentives based on performance or contributions.

ASchedule training courses to enhance team performance.

Scheduling training courses during the project's final two weeks would add to the team's workload and divert focus from completion, exacerbating fatigue rather than alleviating it.

BSchedule working lunch meetings until the project is complete.

Scheduling working lunch meetings would further increase the team's working hours and stress during a period of weariness, contrary to encouraging them.

CAdd new team members to help the project finalization.

Adding new team members in the final two weeks of a project is disruptive, as new members require onboarding and would likely hinder rather than help finalization, adding more overhead.

DInitiate rewards and incentives according to assessment results.Correct

Initiating rewards and incentives is an effective way to motivate a tired team during the final push, recognizing their hard work and boosting morale to ensure successful completion. This aligns with team motivation strategies to acknowledge effort and encourage a strong finish.

Concept tested: Team motivation and recognition

Source: https://www.pmi.org/pmbok-guide-standards/foundational/pmbok/project-resource-management/develop-team

Topics

#Team motivation#Rewards and recognition#Resource management#Team performance

Community Discussion

Mei-Ling H.May 16, 2026

D is correct. The team is fatigued with only 2 weeks left, so rewards and incentives directly address the motivation problem, while B would make fatigue worse by stealing their lunch break and C would slow things down due to onboarding overhead.

Olusegun A.May 28, 2026

I first leaned toward B thinking shared meals might boost morale during the crunch, but working lunches just means more time at the desk with no real break. The team is fatigued and two weeks from completion, so you need immediate recognition tied to their performance to push through the finish line. D is the PMBOK-aligned move here because rewards and incentives based on assessment results directly address motivation without adding scope or burden. Confirmed D on exam last week.

Yusuf A.May 28, 2026

Thanks Olusegun, my senior PM always says the same thing about working lunches being a trap because people just resent you for stealing their break time, though I would add that the reward does not have to be anything big, even a genuine shoutout in the next standup counts as recognition tied to performance.

Lena V.May 23, 2026

D is correct. With 2 weeks left, the team just needs to push through the final stretch, and rewards and incentives directly address fatigue by giving them something tangible to work toward. A is pointless this late in the game, and B just makes the burnout worse. C is a classic trap because adding people at the end violates the law of diminishing returns and slows you down with onboarding.

Mei-Ling H.May 26, 2026

Agree on D, but careful with the word "directly" in the stem because rewards address motivation, not fatigue itself, so if they reword it to "resolve fatigue" then D becomes a trap and you are stuck between B and C.

Orla P.May 11, 2026

C is the practical call here. With 2 weeks left, adding fresh hands takes real pressure off a burned-out team that is running on fumes, and the new members can absorb the grunt work while your core people focus on finalization.

Olusegun A.May 14, 2026

D is the correct answer, Orla. Adding new people this late triggers Brooks Law, ramp-up time costs you more than you gain, and the PMBOK is clear that crashing means adding resources to critical path activities with manageable onboarding, not throwing fresh hands at a burned-out team two weeks from delivery.

Yusuf A.May 15, 2026

Going with A here. One of the senior PMs at my company showed me that bringing in training near crunch time sounds odd but it actually re-energizes a burnt-out team by breaking the monotony and making them feel invested in, which is exactly what they need right now.

Mei-Ling H.May 15, 2026

Yusuf, the answer is actually D because the question emphasizes the team is burnt out and in crunch time, meaning adding training now would only add to their burden rather than relieve it. PMI's stance is that training and development activities should be planned during less stressful periods, not piled on when the team is already stretched thin.

Full PMP Practice