Light-hearted office pranks are a great way to brighten up what could otherwise be a dull and boring day; and whilst April Fools' Day is the perfect opportunity to wreak havoc on unsuspecting colleagues, tricks can be played at any time. The prankster should, however, avoid causing too much disruption, as this may result in upset managers!
The Frozen Computer
This is a classic office prank, but almost never fails to fool those who are perhaps less technologically minded. Take a screenshot of the user's desktop, and set this as their wallpaper. Make sure that all desktop icons are hidden.
The victim, upon returning to his or her workstation, will be unable to double click on any icons or open any programs, and will inevitably reboot their computer - only to discover the same thing happening again!
Misleading Signs
In order to cause a lot of confusion, the prankster should place notices on every door in the building stating "Please Use The Other Door". This will then fool anyone who is trying to exit the premises!
A variation on this theme is to place notes on colleagues' desks asking them to see each other urgently, or - even better - invite them to a fictional meeting in the same room at the same time. Then, sit back and watch as they sit in a meeting room looking blankly at one another!
Progressive Disappearance
Throughout the day, take one item of stationery or a file from a poor colleague's desk, each time taking a little more than before. This obviously only happens when the colleague is not watching or is away from their workstation.
Eventually, remove the computer monitor and any peripherals until the victim's desk is completely clear. Even the chair can be taken! This is a prank made famous in both the UK and US versions of the sitcom "The Office".
Telephone Madness
The first prank under this heading will require the help of a colleague. He or she will call another worker's number, and the prankster calls another colleague, preferably on another floor. Then, put both telephones on speaker phone and listen as the confused conversation unfolds!
Another telephone-related prank is relatively simple. Glue the telephone receiver to the dock, and ring the victim's number. Watch as they struggle to pull the receiver away from the phone! Alternatively, tape the receiver button down on the phone, which will keep ringing when the receiver is lifted.
Tin Foil Fun
This is another classic, but one that will need to be carried out after the unfortunate colleague leaves work for the day. Simply wrap everything at their workstation in tin foil. Monitor, mouse, stationery: everything!
For those who work in office cubicles, cover the entrance doorway in cellophane and fill the cubicle full of balloons, polystyrene balls, or other items. Some have collected waste from the paper shredder over a number of weeks and emptied this into the cubicle!
Pranks Requiring More Than One Person
There are a number of pranks which either need the input of many people, or can be tricky to carry out.
The first is to ask all colleagues (apart from the victim) to bring a few changes of clothes with them. Then, throughout the day, keep walking past the confused colleague in a different set of clothes every time.
Another idea is to hide a small radio or CD player near the victim's workstation, and turn it to a volume that is barely audible. Then, whenever the victim asks if anyone else can hear music, deny everything. This will increasingly annoy them as the day progresses.
Steal a particularly sentimental or loved ornament from a colleague's desk. Then, throughout the year, send them photographs of the object in various locations with a ransom note. This can be especially amusing if any fellow pranksters are going on holiday; a victim who receives a photograph of their beloved mug sat on a beach in Barbados or at the top of the Empire State Building will become very confused indeed!
Office pranks can be a great way to lift team morale in the workplace. However, it is best to inform managers and those in authority beforehand, to avoid any pranks from causing upset and leading to disciplinary procedures!
Sources Used
Buzzle.com, "Office Pranks: Funny Office Prank Ideas", accessed 27 March 2010
DiscoverFun.com, " Funny Office Pranks ", accessed 27 March 2010
Ben Wakeling - Lives in England with his wife and two children. Loves writing, photography, and slouching. Ben is currently posting extracts on a blog ...
