Functions of Human Resource Management is the introductory HR course in WGU's Bachelor of Science in Human Resource Management, giving an overview of how organizations recruit, reward, develop and protect their people.
WGU's standard path places it in term 1 at 3 competency units. It also sets up the specialist HR courses that follow, from Employment and Labor Law to Total Rewards.
The course looks simple because the topics are familiar. The challenge is explaining how each function supports organizational strategy, rather than just describing what HR departments do.
Course at a Glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| University | Western Governors University (WGU) |
| Course | D351 Functions of Human Resource Management |
| Level | Undergraduate, 3 competency units |
| Program | B.S. Human Resource Management (term 1 on the standard path) |
| Subject area | Introduction to human resource management |
| Typical work | Short written analyses, scenario questions, definitions of HR functions |
What D351 Covers
WGU lists strategic workforce planning and talent acquisition, compensation and benefits, training and development, employee and labor relations, and occupational health, safety and security. The five competencies are:
| Competency (summarized) | In plain terms |
|---|---|
| Identify roles and functions in strategic HRM | What HR does and how it supports business goals |
| Explain how talent acquisition meets current and future needs | Planning, recruiting, selecting and onboarding |
| Describe direct and indirect, monetary and non-monetary rewards | Pay, benefits and recognition |
| Describe training, development and performance systems | Building skills and measuring and improving performance |
| Explain federal employment regulations and HR's role in compliance and employee relations | Key US laws and keeping a fair, lawful workplace |
Key Concepts Explained
Strategic Versus Administrative HR
Administrative HR processes payroll, records and paperwork. Strategic HR asks what people, skills and culture the organization needs to meet its goals, and designs policies to get there.
Example: A regional bank plans to move most customer service online within three years. Strategic HR forecasts fewer branch roles and more digital support roles, plans retraining for branch staff, adjusts recruitment towards technical skills, and reviews rewards so scarce digital talent stays. Each HR function is aligned to the same business goal.
Total Rewards in Brief
Direct monetary rewards include salary, wages and bonuses. Indirect monetary rewards are benefits such as health insurance and retirement plans. Non-monetary rewards include recognition, flexibility and development opportunities.
HR and Compliance
US federal laws shape most HR decisions. Examples include Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the Fair Labor Standards Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act and the Occupational Safety and Health Act.
Typical Assignments and How to Approach Them
| Task type | What it tests | How to approach it |
|---|---|---|
| Explain an HR function | Understanding of purpose | Define it, give an example and link it to a business goal |
| Scenario analysis | Applying HR knowledge | Identify the function involved, the risk and the recommended action |
| Compliance question | Knowing which law applies | Name the law, who it protects and what the employer must do |
| Rewards or development plan | Linking practice to outcomes | Explain how it attracts, motivates or retains staff |
How D351 Leads into the Rest of the Degree
Each competency previews a later course on WGU's B.S. Human Resource Management standard path. Notes you make now become a base for those courses.
| D351 topic | Later course |
|---|---|
| Compliance and employee relations | Employment and Labor Law |
| Talent acquisition | Talent Acquisition |
| Rewards | Total Rewards |
| Training and development | Strategic Training and Development |
| HR systems and records | HR Technology |
Performance Management in Brief
The training competency also covers systems for measuring, evaluating and influencing performance. A sound performance system sets clear expectations, gives regular feedback, reviews results fairly and links outcomes to development or rewards.
In answers, show the cycle rather than a single annual review: planning goals, ongoing coaching, formal evaluation, then development or recognition. Fair, documented reviews also support compliance, because they give consistent, job-related reasons for decisions about pay, promotion or dismissal.
Where Students Get Stuck
- Describing instead of explaining. Say why a function matters to the organization, not just what it is.
- Mixing up laws. Keep a table of each law, its protected group and employer duties.
- Generic examples. Use a specific organization or scenario in every answer.
Study Tips for D351
- Build a one-page map of HR functions with a business example for each.
- Learn the main federal employment laws early; they recur throughout the degree.
- Relate each topic to a workplace you know.
- Agree a course plan with your instructor at the start, as WGU recommends.
How We Help with D351
Send the task instructions, rubric, readings and any feedback. An HR writer prepares a custom response, explains concepts with workplace examples, or reviews your draft for structure and accuracy. Our human resources assignment help guide describes our wider HR support.
GradeEssays is independent of Western Governors University. Our work is a study and reference aid; you write and submit your own work under WGU's academic integrity rules. Every order is written from scratch, plagiarism-checked and covered by free revisions within the scope of your original request.
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Frequently Asked Questions
WGU's standard path places Functions of Human Resource Management in term 1 of the B.S. Human Resource Management.
WGU lists it at 3 competency units.
The main federal employment laws, such as Title VII, the ADA, the ADEA, the FLSA, the FMLA and OSHA, and HR's role in compliance.
The content is introductory. The challenge is linking each HR function to organizational strategy with clear examples.
WGU recommends Functions of Human Resources before Employment and Labor Law.
No. We provide custom answers, explanations and feedback so you can write your own.