Understanding Absence Management in S4labour

What is absence management in S4labour?

Absence management in S4labour helps managers record, review, and approve employee absences and holidays directly from the rota and supporting calendars. It provides a clear view of who is away, why, and when, so that you can plan staffing levels accurately. Keeping absences up to date also supports accurate pay and entitlement calculations.

Key points

• You can view all absences for a selected week within the rota using the absence widget.

• You can see which manager recorded each absence.

• You can see which manager approved each holiday request.

• You can add new absences directly from the rota, which also updates the absence calendar.

• You can manage absences on the go using the S4Manage app.

How to use absence management

Use this process to review and manage absences for a site.

1. Go to the rota for the relevant site and week.

2. Open the absence widget to see all absences for that week.

   

3. Review the list to see:

   • Which employees are absent.

   • The type and duration of each absence.

   • Which manager recorded the absence.

   • Which manager approved any holiday requests.

4. To add a new absence:

   1. Select the relevant employee in the rota.

   2. Choose the appropriate absence type and dates.

   3. Confirm the absence to save it to both the rota and the absence calendar.

Tip: Use the weekly rota view to check absence coverage when reviewing holiday requests, so you can maintain appropriate staffing levels and avoid last‑minute changes.

Why use absence management?

Absence management supports accurate scheduling and helps you keep labour plans realistic.

• Improves visibility: You can see all absences for a week in one place, alongside the rota.

• Supports accountability: Audit trails show which manager recorded or approved each absence or holiday.

• Reduces admin work: Adding an absence once updates both the rota and the absence calendar.

• Supports mobile management: You can manage absences using the S4Manage app.

• Supports compliance: Following the upcoming April legislation changes, it is more important than ever to keep absence and holiday records accurate and up to date.

Related articles

• Managing Absences and Holiday in the S4 Manage app – S4labour
  https://s4labour.zendesk.com/hc/en-gb/articles/16006870507805-Managing-Absences-and-Holiday-in-the-S4-Manage-app

Frequently asked questions

Q: Where can I see all absences for a specific week?
A: Open the rota for the relevant site and week, then use the absence widget to view all absences for that period.

Q: How do I know which manager approved a holiday?
A: The absence widget includes an audit trail that shows which manager approved each holiday request.

Q: If I add an absence on the rota, do I need to update the calendar separately?
A: No – when you add an absence from the rota, S4labour updates both the rota and the absence calendar automatically. Best practice is to manage changes from a single place (the rota) so that your records and audit history stay aligned.

Q: Can I manage absences from my phone?
A: Yes. You can manage absences using the S4Manage app. For more detail, see:
https://s4labour.zendesk.com/hc/en-gb/articles/16006870507805-Managing-Absences-and-Holiday-in-the-S4-Manage-app

Q: Who can record or approve absences?
A: This depends on your organisation’s permissions and roles. Typically, only managers with the correct access can record and approve absences.

Need help?

For additional support with absence management, contact your Customer Success representative