I worked at a small company in London and got treated the same way: feeling left out, excluded. It took me a bit of thinking before I realised it was actually

I worked at a small company in London and got treated the same way: feeling left out, excluded. It took me a bit of thinking before I realised it was actually being done for my own benefit, as I was a contractor there. Had they invited me to the office party etc. it would have contributed to me being seen as an employee, and losing the status of a contractor. They could not do this, I didn't want it. Once I realised that, I was fine with it, but it did hurt initially. I must say it would have been a whole lot easier if the boss had simply bother to explain, but it doesn't really matter, he did actually have my best interests at heart (as well as his own of course!)