Left Out, Logged Off. Done
The Hybrid Work Failure
Welcome to this issue of The Contingent Compass. Each week, I send two essays to help you navigate the complex world of the Contingent Workforce. If you need support on your journey, upgrade to a paid subscription where you’ll instantly be able to interact with the community through group chat, live Q&A’s, gain access practical program tools and useful how-to guides.
Hybrid work was meant to level the playing field.
It promised flexibility, autonomy, and a future where everyone could do great work, regardless of where they sat.
And for many full-time employees, it delivered.
They still get the town halls, the culture emails, the company wellness days, the internal DE&I initiatives, and the quirky monthly quiz over Zoom.
The mission still includes them. The message still says “we.”
But your contingent workforce?
They're not just working remotely.
They’re working remotely from your culture.
And it’s starting to show.
The Culture Gap That No One Talks About
The truth is, hybrid work hasn’t just redefined where we work.
It has quietly reshaped who gets included and who doesn’t.
Full-time employees are part of the fabric.
They’re looped in, listened to, and aligned.
They’re reminded that even when they’re not in the office, they’re still part of something.
Contingent workers, on the other hand, are often:
Excluded from company announcements
Left off team invites or Slack channels
Given logins to project systems, but not people systems
Missing from internal recognitions, town halls, and culture events
📊 According to Gartner, fewer than 12 percent of organizations include non-employees in internal engagement or culture initiatives. This is despite the fact that contingent workers often make up more than 40 percent of total headcount.
The Human Cost Behind the Numbers
Imagine logging into the same Zoom link every day.
You deliver great work. You hit every milestone. You help the team succeed.
Then you watch the rest of the team celebrate a project win without you.
You’re not on the list. You never were.
No “thank you.”
No “we couldn’t have done it without you.”
No invite. No inclusion. No mention.
Now imagine doing that for six months.
Now imagine hundreds of people doing that every day across your business.
Why It Matters More Than You Think
When contingent workers feel like outsiders, the cost isn’t just emotional.
It’s operational.
Disengaged contractors:
Leave sooner
Care less
Share less
Eventually stop recommending you as a place worth working
In one mid-sized organization I worked with, contractor tenure dropped by 38 percent within a year of switching to hybrid.
There was no change in pay or workload.
The only real shift was that contractors were quietly removed from all-company communications and culture channels.
No updates. No context. No belonging. Just project work and silence.
💡 At a global medical devices company I supported, contractors made up nearly 35 percent of the workforce. After going hybrid, the internal comms team removed all non-employees from the town hall distribution list to “avoid confusion.” Within two quarters, contractor attrition jumped 42 percent.
When we reinstated a parallel communication stream and introduced a quarterly recognition moment, tenure stabilized. Referrals from contingent workers increased by 19 percent over six months.
The irony is this. You may be treating them like they’re temporary, but your company’s reputation isn’t.
That lives on.
Why This Gets Ignored
Most leaders don’t exclude contractors out of cruelty.
They do it out of confusion, fear, or habit.
You’ve probably heard these before:
“We’re not allowed to treat them like employees.”
“Legal says they can’t be invited to the all-hands.”
“It’s too risky to blur the lines.”
“They’re just here to deliver the work.”
These concerns are valid. Misclassification is a real legal risk.
But too many companies mistake compliance boundaries for human boundaries.
There’s a difference between treating someone as an employee and treating them as a person worth including.
🧠 Quick Check: Are You Unintentionally Excluding Contractors?
Are they invited to relevant team meetings, not just task reviews?
Do they know your company’s mission, goals, or wins?
Are they ever thanked, recognized, or acknowledged?
Is anyone tracking contractor retention, re-engagement, or satisfaction?
If the answer is “not really,” then this is your blind spot.
And it’s costing more than you think.
✨ Reflection Time
Take a minute. Ask yourself:
If a contractor walked away today, would they feel like they mattered?
Could you honestly say your culture values everyone who contributes, or just the ones on payroll?
If culture is how we treat people when no one is watching, what story are your non-employees telling about you?
If those questions made you pause, you’re not alone.
But now you can do something about it.
💡 Imagine This Instead
Your contractors feel proud to work with you.
They refer top talent because they feel respected.
They stay longer, contribute more, and share positive stories about your brand.
They feel like part of something, not just parked next to it.
You don’t need more money to do this. You need more intention.
✅ The Upside of Getting This Right
Lower turnover and shorter ramp times
Higher re-engagement rates for future projects
Better brand reputation with both suppliers and talent
A stronger EVP that reflects real inclusion, not just lip service
Legal safety and human connection working in harmony
It’s not a stretch. It’s a shift.
So What Does Better Look Like?
You don’t need to hand out equity or benefits to build loyalty.
You just have to stop pretending your culture belongs to payroll.
Here’s what smart companies are doing:
✅ 1. Build a parallel culture track
Host optional contractor meetups or virtual drop-ins
Share relevant company updates with the extended workforce
Celebrate project completions or contract extensions
✅ 2. Normalize inclusive language and access
Say “team” more than “FTEs and contractors”
Invite contingent workers to meetings that offer context, not just instructions
Give them the background they need to connect, not just execute
✅ 3. Train managers to lead people, not paperwork
Equip them with better check-in practices
Encourage small moments of recognition
Show them how engagement drives better results, even when the contract ends
The hard truth … if someone shows up for your company, gives you their best and walks away invisible, that’s not a contractor problem.
That’s a culture problem.
And culture is everyone's job.
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If you need support on your journey, upgrade to a paid subscription where you’ll instantly be able to interact with the community through group chat, live Q&A’s, gain access practical program tools and useful how-to guides.