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It’s April Fools’ Day, and you know what that means—it’s time to prank your favorite coworkers! We spend an awful lot of time at work, so it’s important to keep morale high and build lasting connections with our coworkers. A great way to do this is to have some fun once in a while, as long as it isn’t interrupting your work or impeding the progress of any important projects. Here are some fun, harmless pranks for the workplace.
Zoom Destinations
The great thing about this prank is it will also work in remote situations. All you have to do is imagine yourself in some creative, exotic, or humorous locations, and then change your Zoom background to reflect your zany ideas. Just think—the next time your coworkers see you, you could be on the bridge of the USS Enterprise, or narrowly avoiding Jaws while taking cover in the Orca’s crow’s nest. Of course, you’ll have to ensure that the locations you choose are appropriate for the workplace, and that they won’t offend anyone in the meeting.
Voice Activated Devices
This is an easy one that requires very little preparation, although you may want to get to work a bit early to avoid being seen. A label maker works best for this prank, but you could get away with some paper, tape, and high-level arts and craft skills. Either way, what you want to do is place labels that say “Voice Activated [Name of Device]” on all the devices in the office that get the most use.
Now all you have to do is sit back and watch as your coworkers struggle with providing voice commands to the coffee machine, the microwave, copy machines, printers, and if you’re feeling particularly mischievous, the very label maker you just used to conduct this little prank of yours. Even if only one person falls for this one, the effort will be completely worth it.
Mousing Difficulties
This one is a tried and true classic, and is sure to drive some people nuts. Simply unplug your coworker’s wired mouse and watch the fireworks…and…well, that’s about it. Even if your coworker is trying to be clever and using one of those new-fangled wireless devices, they won’t be safe from your nefarious plans. All you’ve got to do is take a small section of a post-it note or a small piece of paper and some tape, and cover up that sensor underneath the wireless mouse—problem solved!
The Ever-Changing Desktop Image
This one may be a little tougher to pull off, depending on who the target is and how often they step away from their desk. What you want to do here is change a coworker’s desktop background each and every time you get the chance, and when they inevitably ask you if you saw anything, simply deny it. Once again, make sure the images you use are safe for work and that they won’t offend the person you’re playing the prank on.
Tiny Visitors
Some of our readers might have some action figures or other similar types of collectibles hanging around. If so, you might want to consider bringing them into the office for some April Fools’ fun. Imagine the look on your coworker’s face when they show up to their desk only to be greeted by Pennywise from It, or that warm, fuzzy feeling you’ll get when you’ve got the entire office in an uproar with all those cleverly placed LEGO minifigures in the break room.
Keep in mind that whatever (or whoever) you decide to bring in with you should be appropriate for the workplace environment, and you should refrain from bringing in any particularly valuable collectibles such as that late 70’s Rocket-Firing Boba Fett Prototype you’ve got on your shelf, as you wouldn’t want to accidentally lose it.
Fake Snacks
If you really want to cause some mayhem at work, consider purchasing a box of a dozen delicious donuts (or just the box), and replacing them with the most boring food you can think of. We recommend vegetables, as they are pretty much the antithesis of donuts and other confections, and the look of absolute disappointment on your coworker’s faces will be sweeter than any donut could ever be.
Additional Tips
When it comes to pulling pranks in the workplace, it’s important to be cognizant of your surroundings. Have you built a good rapport with your coworkers? Is the workplace environment mostly harmonious? Does your boss seem like a fun-loving person? If you have any doubts about playing pranks at your job, consider whether it would be appropriate to do so. Remember, a prank should be harmless, fun, and above all else, safe. The last thing you’d want to do is get yourself in trouble over something silly.
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