AWOL refers to a situation where an external workforce member fails to report for work or communicate their absence, violating agreed-upon terms of engagement. In the context of external workforce management, AWOL behavior can have severe repercussions, including missed deadlines, increased workload for other team members, and resource reallocation challenges.

Organizations address AWOL incidents through clear contractual agreements, predefined escalation procedures, and tools that monitor attendance in real-time. Establishing regular check-ins and fostering accountability among external workers can help reduce the occurrence of AWOL incidents and maintain project continuity.