Sometimes, you need a little office laughter to recharge from all the time spent focusing on the serious stuff. Pulling pranks on your coworkers is the perfect way to pass the time while making those around you laugh. From surprise doughnuts to an office drive-thru, we’ve put together the best office pranks…
Doughnut Mess With Us
Nothing beats walking into the office on a Monday morning and being greeted by a fresh box of Krispy Kreme doughnuts. Being the first one in the office, you know that you've scored big time. You open up the first box you see, hoping that they remembered to buy your personal favorite - chocolate glaze with colored sprinkles.
That's when everything takes a turn for the worse, someone pranked you and your co-workers - and they got you good. Instead of starting off your morning with a nice cup of coffee and a doughnut, you're stuck with veggies and dips. Guess someone in the office got sick of people complaining about all the weight they've gained!
A Job Well Done
What came first, the chicken or the egg? It's the same question Looking at this prank, we can't help but wonder what came first - the left sign or the right one?
We're guessing the sign asking people not to print large jobs came first, and that someone had the genius idea of printing Steve Jobs staring straight into our souls. Pretty on the dot if you ask us! Although, if we were in charge of this prank - we would have printed an even larger Steve Jobs, just to make a point!
The Grass Is Always Greener
We'd give anything to know the story behind this prank. We're guessing that the person on the receiving part of this prank is the kind of person who asks everyone not to touch their things. For weeks on end, this guy's coworkers thought of the perfect retaliation - but then, Lucy from accounting came up with the perfect trick.
The only way to keep people from not touching someone's things is to make them unreachable - and the only way to do that is to cover their desk with grass. They say the grass is always greener on the other side, and in this case - it's true!
Free Range Chickens
Let's face it, everyone loves free food - especially when the boss is paying. We can only imagine the chaos and excitement that was felt when a company-wide e-mail went out announcing that there were free chicken strips in the kitchen...
One by one, employees made their way to the kitchen, ready for lunch, only to be disappointed when the only chicken around was the printed drawings taped to the refrigerator. We can't help but wonder, was the office vegetarian behind this cruel prank?
You Need to Ketchup
Anyone who's ever worked in an office is all too familiar with the stenches that often linger in the break room. Most people tend to suffer in silence, but every so often, there's that one co-worker who will say what everyone else is thinking. The prankster behind this "sorry" is probably the same person who conveniently forgets to throw their trash in the hallway trash.
When they're done eating in the newsroom, they throw their garbage into the closest trashcan around. We hope that they didn't fetch day-old ketchup from outside of the garbage can in order to write this heartfelt message!
The Food Thief
The secret to being a good food thief is rotating your target every day. On Mondays you grab Gina's yogurt, on Tuesdays, you take Adam's sandwich, and so on and so forth... The person that put up this considerate note thought that by doing so, they were helping a cause.
In reality, what they did was make things worse for everyone except the food thief! The food in this fridge is labeled, which means the food thief knows exactly who they're taking from. The food thief showed them he will not be stopped by leaving his poor victim a ransom note.
It's Raining Cats and Cats
There are three types of people in the workplace: the ones that won't stop talking about their kids, the ones that won't stop talking about their pets...and then there are the single people. Sick and tired of hearing all this baby talk - or fur baby talk, the singles united in coming up with the perfect revenge.
They covered Janice's desk with pictures of random cats as if to say, "hey listen, all cats are the same, yours aren't special, in fact, they are far from it." We can't help but wonder if they did the same to the parents...or is that taking it a little too far?
Happy Birthday, Stan the Man!
When Stan's coworkers asked him how he wanted to celebrate his birthday and he said something along the lines of, "whatever, do whatever you want." And that is exactly what they did - this birthday prank took commitment, coordination, and devotion.
Since Stan is known around the office as the guy who won't budge from his seat, they brought the party to him! By the way he's sitting, you can tell he's less than impressed — or maybe he's trying to hide the fact he's overjoyed that his coworkers didn't forget his birthday like they did last year, and the year before that.
King of the Cardboard
Tom has been talking about getting a promotion for as long as anyone can remember. In fact, he talks about it so much, that when he actually got his promotion - he had nothing left to talk about. Although his coworkers are happy for him and his newfound success, they couldn't help but poke a little fun at the "new king of the office."
On his first day as Assistant Regional Manager, they built him a castle. Just so everyone knows that when they come to his desk, they are in the presence of royalty!
Say it Louder!
Don’t you hate it when you’re waiting to get a paper towel in a public restroom, but you can’t because there’s some lunatic standing there talking to the dispenser and blocking your way? Yeah, us too. We've just going to say it - this is a pretty funny practical joke to play on your coworkers!
Must we reiterate how boring it can be to work in an office every day? You’re around the same people, doing the same work - it makes sense that one would look for whatever it takes to keep themselves entertained. This prank is so simple yet so good - it may be time to print some signs for our next visit to the restroom. Cue the evil laughter!
As Cold as the North Pole
This person’s reindeer mug means the world to them – it's their most prized possession and they cannot be bothered to buy another one. Whatever the case may be, they're obviously over everyone else trying to use it! But these office workers weren’t willing to keep their hands off. If you use a reindeer mug all year long, people probably grab it first thing especially during the summer - thinking that it’s a random mug that someone left lying around.
After all, who uses holiday gear in the springtime? Maybe it’s time to invest in a new mug, buddy! If it really means that much to you, take it home and bring a different one for the office that’s not so…attractive.
Caged In
Unfortunately, everyone in the world recognizes Nicholas Cage. The star has been in all kinds of films, including "Face/Off", "Con Air", "Gone in 60 Seconds", and "8mm". The woman who works out of this cubicle is one of two things - she is either Cage's biggest fan, or like us, she cannot look at this man's face without cringing. She went on vacation for a couple of weeks. So, her coworkers decided to do something to surprise her when she returned...
Whoever did this sure put a lot of time and effort into plastering the entire workspace in images of the "Ghostrider". They printed out pictures of the actor from nearly every stage of his career, without leaving much out. Then, to top it all off, they put the bright colored banners around to streamline the whole experience...this was either this woman's biggest dream or worst nightmare.
Fort box
Sometimes the stress of working in an office can really take its toll on the employees. And when that happens, it’s important to get away from the madness and take a breather so you can keep your cool. This guy wouldn't shut up about having a terrible day - so when he came back from lunch, this fort awaited him.
They've pretty much created a new version of the “home office” by building a mini home around his cubicle. While most people probably would have just tossed a blanket over their desk and hid underneath for a little while, they went all out. Check out the attention to detail in his hideaway! He’s even got a chimney and some decorative plants. A prank gone right if we do say so ourselves!
The Ben's Room
Being the only man in your office oftentimes works for your benefit - just ask Ben! Working in an office with twelve women comes with many perks - having your own bathroom is one of them. Instead of the men's room, Ben turned the men's bathroom into his own personal lair.
The office girls know to stay away, and Ben loves it that way. Our only question is, what happens when another man joins the office?! What's Ben going to do then?
Ed, Who?
Apparently, Ed is quite the commodity in this office and people always seem to be searching for him. When they don’t automatically spot him, they ask his closest coworker, who started getting irritated about the repetitive question. So, he designed this sign to hang by his workspace.
Now, when someone comes up and asks if Ed’s at his desk (which happens on a daily basis), this guy can simply point to his sign without even looking up from his computer. Honestly, we’d make a sign, too, if it meant less human interaction around the office! Lucky for his desk partner, Ed has been around the office a lot more lately - so the sign hasn’t been necessary.
More Than Words
A sink gets a lot of use in the office. Workers need to be able to rinse out their coffee cups and…well, fill up the coffee pot to make continuous batches, among other things. So, when the sink in this office went down and management stuck up a sign to explain, the employees had something to say about it.
Apparently, the maintenance crew was taking their time getting around to fixing the sink, because it seems like they wouldn’t have put the second sign up if it was a situation that had only been going on for a day or two. No, no; these office workers had been without their sink for a while, and they’re good and ready for the “fixage” to commence. Sometimes all you need is a couple of words to get your message across!
Bean There, Done That
Ways to give your coworkers a heart attack number 11: stick a life-sized cardboard cutout of the creepiest character you can possibly imagine in a quiet bathroom corner and wait for the magic to happen. First of all, someone had to go through a lot of trouble to get that thing. At the very least, they dropped some money and had it delivered - which seems like the perfect amount of effort for this kind of prank.
Then, they had to get it past multiple people while keeping a straight face until they were able to set it up in its position in the ladies’ restroom. The only thing that would make this even better is if it were ordered specifically because they knew someone had a Mr. Bean phobia. Hey, it could have been worse – they could have used a cardboard cutout of Pee-wee Herman.
Ice-Cold Heart
There are few things more infuriating than finally going on your lunch break, only to find out that someone has eaten your lunch, either by accident or simply because they don't care. So, this person, whom we will call lunch box genius, decided to put an end to this very common problem - and we're positive it worked!
We don't want to know where this person got the lunch box, but we certainly hope they washed it well before using it. Maybe this isn't a prank at all, and some doctors got fired the next day...
Had a Bad Date...Or Three
Don't despair, friend, we hear that the cereal boxes are much more open to a relationship. And if not, may we suggest using a dating app - one with actual humans on it?
Not the most elaborate joke you'll come across, but it still made us smile. And we're sure it did the same for anyone reading that note. If you're reading this - we hope you found true love!
Not So Comic Sans
After laughing our heads off, we do have to say that we agree with this second sign. Throughout the years, Comic Sans has been the least serious, hated font in the history of fonts. And with good reason. Just look at that lovely Arial font on that second note; now that screams "professionalism".
Then again - if they're really so concerned about image, maybe a Fortune 500 company shouldn't be sticking pieces of paper with cheap tape on the doors. But hey, who are we to judge?
A Huge Leek
Apparently, someone ran into a co-worker's office shouting "there's a huge leak under the water heater!" And the only thing we can say is, that this guy should be on a stage as a stand-up comedian, not in an office.
The best thing about this prank is that, even though you would probably be quite angry about rushing in a panic to see the water heater didn't explode, you would surely start laughing so hard at this whole scene that you'd forget to scream at your work buddy. They beet you to it (pun absolutely intended!)
Laughing out Loud
Apparently, this is the temporary keyboard that the IT guys in a certain office give employees when their actual keyboard is getting fixed. Nobody but a tech nerd could've thought of this, and honestly, it's hilarious. Just imagine sitting down to finally work after waiting for a keyboard replacement, only to find every key has been relabeled with "L" and "O"!
We don't know if the other employees got together and decided to come up with an elaborate prank for themselves, but we hope they did. After all, it's not easy messing with the IT department. We hope they got the last laugh - we'll see who's "loling" now.
You're Welcome
Someone here obviously had a lot of time on their hands. They must have been really troubled about the dishes. This little passive-aggressive adventure means someone had to print out a meme (using the company printer and toner, of course), cut out a square hole in the middle of it, and tape the frame's paper corners to the sink.
You know what, Brenda? If you have so much time to spare, why don't you do the dishes yourself? Or better yet, your actual job!
Picture Perfect
This guy photocopied his face and put it in his office door window - which must have been the smartest thing he has ever done. This is a two-for-one move. He gets to make his coworkers laugh while also blocking the opening through which his boss can see what he's up to.
Now he's free to take that post-lunch-break nap he won't stop talking about. We're not going to lie, it's giving us ideas...
Work From Home?
The employee who works at this desk thought he was being funny when putting lotion on the door handles of his coworkers. Apparently, his coworkers didn't think so!
The next day he came to work and found his entire desk in the parking lot. We wonder if he thought this was as funny as we did, or if he is planning his next move...
Grammar Nerd
All workplaces have their typecast. There is the one who stays in the office way past closing time, the one who brings the best food, the one who brings the worst food, the one who steals everyone's food, and the one who thinks coffee constitutes a snack (it doesn't), and we could go on forever but have better things to do.
One of those types is the grammar nerd. It's that same person who will make sure to correct you every time, no matter if it's in person or in a note like this one. Go home, Carolyn!
The Bermuda Triangle
An office fridge is like a Bermuda Triangle for food. Things that get sucked into this black hole rarely survive to see their rightful owners again. It seems that people eating food that isn't theirs is the bane of existence for all workplace altercations.
Honestly, what's so hard to understand? If it's not yours, don't eat it! Also, shouldn't people usually be reluctant to eat food that they don't know the origin of?
To Be, or Not to Be?
This person probably had enough of that massive printer being left on half their desk, so they decided to make lemonade with life's lemons and just add a funny little note to laugh about the whole thing. Or maybe someone just got dumped and was feeling a little bit too philosophical this morning.
Still, they do have a point. That printer should be an example to all of us, asking us the real questions in life. Reading this, we feel like we're on the verge of an existential crisis.
Debbie, Who?
In this office, there’s one woman who everyone refers to as the “lunchtime bandit,” — and for good reason. You see, Debbie often "forgets" her lunch and is forced to rummage through the fridge to find something to eat. Unfortunately, that usually means she just grabs what she sees, no matter who it belongs to.
The coworkers got together and decided that, rather than simply marking their own names on their lunches, which is what they’d been doing; they needed to try something a little more blatant. So, they decided to just label everything in the fridge that was theirs as “NOT DEBBIES.” Hopefully, she got the message and kept her hands to herself. It was delivered loud and clear, after all…
Jackie Chanthropology
This is almost making us want to go and study anthropology just so we can work with these people. First of all, they are absolutely right, you have to be that good-looking to work in a field called 'Forensic Anthropology'. And secondly, 'Jackie Chanthropology"? Now that is just priceless.
We don't care if it's overwhelmingly cheesy, it is absolutely hilarious. Who knew that anthropologists had such a great sense of humor?
The Best Plan
It’s crucial for every office (and any building with workers, really) to have plans in place in case of emergencies. Things happen and building managers and employers need to make sure their employees can get to safety quickly and easily. That being said, developing a plan of action is much easier said than done.
This is the space where an actual evacuation sign is supposed to be presented, but apparently, it was forgotten about, and instead, one worker took it upon themselves to fill in the blank. Hey, it seems like a perfectly reasonable plan of escape. In case of emergency – run! Except, that’s terrible advice and would cause panic and God knows what else, so, please, don’t do that.
Meow if You've Seen Me!
It’s bound to happen once in a while that some unfortunate employee loses their beloved fur baby and posts “lost” signs up around their workplace. When this person’s gentle, sweet, non-vicious ball of fluff went missing, they panicked. Luckily, they were able to post this sign – to warn everyone he was on the loose.
No, that kitty wasn’t missing at all when this sign was put up in the office. Someone in the building just thought that this picture was hysterical and wanted to share it with the world. Hey, we need laughs around the workplace, and we say the more the merrier! Bring on the funny viral kitty pictures and memes - we're all for it. The boss may not be too happy about it, but the employees certainly appreciate the humor.
Arachnophobia at Its Finest
A study done by the American Psychiatric Association revealed that more than one in 10 people in the country suffers from a phobia – 40% of which is about bugs, mainly spiders. People here seem to be irrationally afraid of them, almost. Probably thanks in large part to the urban legend about the spider laying an egg sack in the sleeping woman’s cheek. Also, the movie "Arachnophobia" didn’t help!
This office worker decided to have a little midday fun by scaring the pants off of their coworkers. They knew that the guy right behind them was deathly afraid of spiders. They decided to create this brilliant scheme: point, gasp, and leave the rest to fate. Needless to say, that guy went home a little early that day.
We're Jammin'
Office printers are like the workhorse of the building; they’re often overworked, overused, and undervalued. But that’s not what’s going on here. This company values their printer so much that they even named it after the biggest legend in reggae music. Unfortunately, the darn thing is always backed up with paper and rarely decides to print.
It’s great that the people in this office have a good sense of humor and are able to make light out of a bad situation. But they weren’t really worried about Bob Marley being jammed, because they have another printer down the hall named Santana, and it always runs perfectly smooth. Okay, we’re done with the musical puns, sorry!
Throwback Thursday
These coworkers were feeling like they’d been worked to the very brink of extinction. They tried voicing their concerns about feeling overworked to their boss, but she refused to listen. So, they decided to take matters into their own hands and dress to match their moods.
This office has a strict business casual workplace dress code, but this group of office workers was willing to take the write-ups in order to prove a point. After the boss saw that no one was able to type and get their work done with tiny T-Rex arms, she caved and let everyone go home for the day – sans pay, of course. Guess the real prank was pulled on this group of wise guys, huh?!
The Writing Was on the Wall
Do you see anything wrong with this sign? Yeah well, so did everyone in this office. That's when they decided to get perfect revenge — they responded to it in the best way possible: with passive-aggressive sarcasm. The first person to notice the hypocrisy simply left a sticky note showing their confusion.
A bold move one might say, but we get why they did so. But everyone that came after the original sticky note was just being plain old sarcastic. With each new note that was added, the prank became even better. Of course - there’s a good chance that thumbtack-guy didn’t even notice the responses.
I'm Just Trying to Do My Job
The poor door just wants to get through its day and get home to its kids without having to worry about who's going to be pushing it all over the place. Just look at that face – are you really so cold-hearted that you could be mean to that kind of face?
Of course, if you do push it open, it's going to start screaming, so rethink your choices before they make life difficult for you and everyone else in the office. Well, at least the door isn't armed – then no one would be opening it, ever.
Zero Complaints Again
Getting told bad things about your work performance is never a good time, but it looks like this office worker figured out a way to head those complaints off at the pass. Everybody knows what pulling the ring on a grenade will accomplish, and it certainly isn't going to be getting the quarterly numbers done before the big meeting with the VP of marketing on Friday.
And it seems as if the idea has worked out to a T. It's still on the very first number. Or, maybe this guy just has a perfect work ethic.
The Sweetest Section of the Cake
Ah, carrot cake. Despite the fact that vegetables feature so prominently in its marketing, it's one of the most delicious cakes out there, as long as it's paired with some thick cream cheese frosting. Don't put raisins in it, though. Just don't. People go to jail for that.
Another thing that people go to jail for is what happened in this picture. Instead of calmly and civilly cutting a slice out of the cake like a responsible person, someone took a couple of forks and just pulled out a big chunk from the center. Surprising, since many consider the frosting around the outside to be the best part, but it does look a bit non-standard.
A Story in Three Parts
The next time you want to make sure someone does something, just leave a sign saying they shouldn't do it. It's hard to come up with a better illustration for this fact than this picture. A simple setup: a microwave you aren't supposed to use. Why not? What will happen?
The second picture might as well have been everyone who walked past the microwave. It doesn't say it's broken, it just says not to use it. Will something go wrong? Will it explode? That's what the third picture seems to think, but it doesn't look like there are any cited sources attached.
A Tense Time at the Office
Having an office mascot is a great way to keep morale high. There's nothing like seeing a friendly face before you head to your desk and start the grind. This office apparently had a Mr. Potato Head that was there to greet everyone, but not everyone liked this spud buddy.
At first, they didn't even leave so much as a ransom note until the potato's manager asked for one. They, of course, got a classic magazine cut-out asking for a big stack of cash in small bills. Do they have any idea how heavy dollar bills can get?
Come Back to Us
If people need to find you at your workplace – and you aren't at your office – what are they supposed to do? One way to solve this problem before it starts is to leave a way to contact you. But, as this image shows, it isn't always that easy.
This person actually left a second option for someone who needs help, but a couple of jokers decided to take it the wrong way and left a series of messages that will make this person wonder why he or she ever left. Or, maybe if he or she should ever come back.
He Probably Has a Pool
The initial sign was left to try and keep things cool and tidy inside the fridge – nobody wants to find mold on their lunch when they just want to sate their hunger. So, make sure to get the fridge door shut all the way, or stuff might start to go bad.
Milk – which people often pour into coffee, for example – might spoil, and that means it's going to start asking for all kinds of things, even if there's no good reason to have them. Asking for a new car when it turns sixteen (days), asking for new Nikes every year, stuff like that.
We're Surprised Anybody Noticed
It looks like this office might have a crafty thief hiding in one of the cubicles. Of course, who can blame any office worker for needing a little bit of a pick me up when the two o'clock doldrums hit? Crack open your energy drink of choice and keep powering through until quitting time.
But what if Larry has asked you to stop taking his Red Bull? Simple: create a paper simulacrum of the can, and nobody will be the wiser. At least, until they try to pop the top and take a sip. Then it will be pretty obvious.
And You Wouldn't Want That, Would You?
Let us set a little something straight: leaving dishes in the sink at your own home is one thing, but leaving dishes in the sink at work is another thing entirely. Other people need to use that sink, and if you think they're going to clean up after you, you're going to be disappointed.
In an effort to get this disgusting habit to stop during the workday, someone put up a picture that will tug at anyone's heartstrings. You don't want to make kittens depressed, do you? No, of course, you don't. What are you, some kind of monster?
Hopefully, It Tastes Good
The backstory of this cake is that the person who made it is leaving for another job, and he or she decided to bring in something for the coworkers to soften the blow. This person is clearly not suffering from low self-esteem since the cake's decoration makes it seem like the person leaving is a great worker.
Is that because the worker is so good, or is it because everybody else is so bad? Also, it looks like the cake is decorated with pumpkin seeds, walnuts, and dried fruit, so maybe we shouldn't be holding our breath for the inside.
Workplace Biological Warfare
Having someone take the food or drink that you placed in the workplace fridge for later is one of the biggest bummers of working in an office. Maybe it was some of last night's leftover pizza, maybe it was a smoothie that you made before work, or maybe it was all the best bits of Thanksgiving dinner made into a sandwich, à la “Friends.”
If it keeps happening, one of your options is to take this route: Make it seem like you're DISEASED. Mouth sores are a nice touch, and since so many people will have mouth or gum or lip pain on a regular basis anyway, it's sure to be effective.
That Will Teach You to Go on Vacation
So a guy in his thirties decides to step away from the grind for a little while and get some well-deserved rest with his family. While he's gone, his coworkers decide to do a little bit of redecorating and make his cubicle a haven for True Beliebers.
Sure, it was cool to hate on the kid back when he first appeared, but now that's sort of fallen by the wayside. Now you can hang up your favorite posters or litter your floor with fancy stills of your favorite male pop star and no one will care.
It Could Go One of Two Ways
There are two explanations for this kind of picture. The first is that the person in this office has been thinking about Leo's movies and his public appearances, and has noticed something strange. In about 2009, something about Leo changed – he started doing different things in his movies, and he started appearing to paparazzi more.
The only thing that makes sense is a body double. The other explanation for this picture is that somebody really, REALLY hates Leonardo DiCaprio, and while he or she was gone on vacation, the coworkers decided to go nuts. Just, like, way too nuts.
Enter the Nic Cage
A fantastic example of someone's workspace being covered with pictures of their favorite and/or least favorite celeb while he or she is off on a trip. This time it is none other than Nicolas Cage, and the people responsible went at it with an artistic angle.
They put shots in the picture frames, they created a calendar, they made a diorama of different Cages on the cabinet above the desk, and they have a little Nic coming out of the cord organizer on the right side of the desk. Unseen in this image is the large picture hanging under the desk. Remember, Nic Cage is always watching.
Curses! Foiled Again!
You may be familiar with an episode of “The Office,” where Jim Halpert encases all of Dwight's desk objects in jello. The picture you see here is of a similar style, but we don't know if it's better or worse. Every single item – EVERY SINGLE ITEM – in this person's cubicle has been wrapped in crinkly tin foil.
The amount of time this must have taken has got to be immense. Either that or the entire business was in on the fun. And just think about how much time it will take to get everything back to normal! Just to be able to work, you'll have to do the computer, monitor, keyboard, and mouse, and that's the bare minimum!
I Hope It's a Lego Set!
It's not going to be a Lego set. It's going to be your office. Someone or someone has decided the best way to welcome someone after Christmas vacation is to cover everything they have in wrapping paper. Talk about the magic of Christmas – by the time this person is done unwrapping everything, it's going to be Valentine's Day.
The pranksters went out and got two different colors of Bieber wrapping paper, just to go that extra mile. And they didn't miss anything – the phone cord, the pen, the mouse, even the floor protector under the chair.
It's Like a Double Prank
Every once in a while, a story appears on the internet about a boss going away for a week, and coming back to find the corner office full to the brim with bouncy balls or balloons or pool noodles or something like that.
If you were looking at this door from the outside, your first thought would be that's exactly what's happened here – but the truth comes out as soon as you try to enter. As the image shows, it's a fake prank – there is a big bundle of balloons attached to the window.
Let Your Imagination Grow
Talk about a unique prank! Somebody got to work only to find their keyboard had suddenly sprouted. To do this, other people in the office had to take an old keyboard – identical to the one their target used – and rip all the keys out.
Then, they had to create a layer of dirt where they could plant seeds, and water them over the course of weeks as the keyboard lay in the sun. It's clever, it's cute, and all you have to do to turn the prank around is produce the actual keyboard. Then, you can use this one to add some color to the office.
Is That All?
It's a classic story. The guy leaves work for vacation, he's gone for a few days, and when he comes back he finds a huge pyramid of soda cans on his desk. Who among us has never been part of such a tale? Sure, that's a daunting creation – but how many people are we talking about? And how many co-workers contributed to its construction?
This could be much higher – we see at least enough space for one layer before it hits the drop ceiling. We're also surprised at the lack of diversity. Sure, Coke is popular, but we don't see any Mountain Dew at all unless it's hiding.
Not a Bad Payday
It seems that most of the pranks people like to pull are while someone is on vacation. Expect to get your desk items wrapped in paper, or have your walls covered in pictures of celebrities if you're gone for a long time. This one is a little different, however.
If it's hard to tell, those are all pennies. Lots and lots of pennies. According to our findings, about five thousand pennies, and totals up to about fifty dollars. There are worse things to find when you come back to work. They might be heavy, but take them to the bank and you'll feel pretty good about being pranked.
Back From the Old Country
So a guy takes a vacay off to old England, and when he returns to his office in The States (we assume), he finds this built around his cubicle. And really, what can you do when you see this except stand up and give an ovation? Just look at the craftsmanship that went into this charming office cottage.
They created a set of stone walls, a tiled roof, and even a perfect window on the upper floor. If we came back to find this, we'd never take it down! The Union jack hangs proudly next to the entrance, and look – there are even some charming lanterns.
It's Like a Trip Back in Time
For all you youngin's out there, let's explain what you're seeing. First off, that big box? That's actually the monitor! Yeah! They were huge, they were heavy, and they flickered if you bumped them. They didn't have great resolution, they got hot quickly, and they made noise.
The keyboards worked mostly the same way, but they tended to get a lot grimier, and they wore out faster, too. It even looks like the OS has been rolled back to good old Windows 97, which will probably have some issues running the more modern programs. At least it will run “Doom.”
Throwback Office Styles
First off, that chair looks mad comfy. Second, there's nothing wrong with a typewriter, as long as you know how to use them. Sure, it will probably make a lot more noise than normal, but you might also stay focused a little better. No YouTube, no Amazon, no Twitter. Just you and the words on the page.
Plus, the prankers added a sixties rotary phone and a fresh bottle of Coke. Now that's just a kind gesture – Coke still tastes good if it's in a bottle. It probably tastes better in a bottle. Of course, you can't really get emails, but that seems like it could be yet another advantage.
Still Feeling That Summer Breeze
Make sure not to be too excited about your trip to Maui with your wife when you're at the office, or your co-workers might start to feel a little left out. If you're lucky, by the time you get back, this is what will be waiting for you at your desk – a fun little beach tableau complete with sand (dangerous, in an office setting), post-it note water, and some beach toys.
Someone who gets this kind of welcome after a vacation can probably feel good about the kind of work he or she does.
Bringing the Beach Home With You
So you've gone on vacation. Yes, it can happen! You went to a warm place with lots of beautiful water and sandy beaches, but now it's back to the grind. You step into your cubicle, and you find your co-workers have decided to do a little bit of decorating.
They've covered your chair with wavy blue fabric, added a big smiling sun to your monitor, and...literally covered your desk with real, actual sand. We hope there's a dust-buster on hand because that stuff is going to be difficult to clean up. And you're going to be finding it for months.
An Old Classic With a Modern Twist
Yeah, we know that the troll face isn't exactly modern by internet standards anymore, but at least it's a step in the right direction. Taking someone's laser-controlled mouse and sticking a piece of paper under it is one of the original computer pranks, and there's a good reason why.
It's quick, it's immediately noticeable, it's simple to fix, and you can customize the picture on the mouse to the person you're pranking. Somebody who's been around the internet for a while will also enjoy the addition of this playful lad.
Why Is Nic Cage Showing Up on All My Prints?
Now here's a new one. There are some workplaces that need a lot of prints done, which means this kind of prank is going to get noticed quickly. Woe betide the person who made a hundred copies and THEN noticed this sneaky little celebrity!
However, there are some places that don't use the copier as much, which means it might be a while before anybody notices Nic hanging out. Once someone makes the discovery, of course, then Nic will have to find a different place to hide. Just get back to work, Cage!
No Coffee Needed
If you're tired and bleary in the morning, then we have the solution for you. Take a can of an air horn and tape it to your wall so that opening your door triggers it at full blast. Or, better yet, tape it to someone else's wall so that THEY trigger it at full blast, so that they, and everyone around them, wake up.
Just make sure that no one knows who put it there, or you might find yourself on the wrong end of a bunch of other pranks that are far worse in nature. Ever had your office filled with bees?
Here's a Hint: Not Donuts
Abe has gone on vacation and comes back to find his coworkers have gifted him a box of Krispy Kreme doughnuts to celebrate his return. Of course, since this is a list of office pranks, you can bet it won't be something delicious once he opens the lid. You would be correct.
Instead, it was a drawing of a rude gesture that only uses one finger, and a picture of a shark leaping out of the water. There are also some naughty words under the picture, which makes us think maybe some other people should get away from the office for a while.
We Already Found Your Replacement
The story goes that a co-worker returned to his desk to find he had been replaced, but we don't know how long he was gone. We aren't experts in every kind of animal, but it looks like a sloth in an olive-green button-up. If all they needed to do to replace the worker was get a sloth, maybe the vacationer needs to work on his productivity a little bit.
A bonus picture shows the well-dressed sloth stretched out on a cabinet, with a note that says “paint me like one of your French girls.” Sorry, sloth, that isn't workplace appropriate.
This Will Be Reflected in Your Year-End Review
Most of the time, the workers are under the boss's thumb. Hopefully, that isn't taken literally, but often the boss has the final say in what happens during forty hours of their week. When the boss steps out for a vacation, it's often a time of celebration or a little bit of relaxed energy.
Some people, however, think it's a good idea to fill their boss's cubicle with loads and loads of shredded paper, and they even think they'll get away with it. They'd better be ready with some trash bags and a pair of gloves to help clean up.
Start Popping
This kind of prank takes two things: First, you have to have a boss who is on vacation, at least for a day or two. Second, you have to have a pretty good amount of free time, and that isn't exactly something the workplace is known for.
If these things line up, grab some friends and start emptying your lungs. As long as you don't have a boss that is terrified of balloons, this is going to be a funny welcome back to someone that you clearly miss. Pick up some special balloons to make the message even more clear.
Things Have Just Gotten Messy
Packing peanuts are helpful little guys – if you're trying to keep a package from being damaged in transit. They aren't all that helpful if you get back from a vacation to find your office chock full of the little buggers. Seriously, this picture looks like there are billions of them.
Is it the office owner's job to clear all of them out before settling down to work? Not only are packing peanuts tiny, they often have a lot of static clings, which means cleaning them up is going to be a difficult chore. Get a big shop vac and start working.
Smarter Than the Average Boss
It looks like somebody is hoping to catch the person who keeps raiding the picnic baskets in the lunchroom. If the boss isn't paying attention and he sits down...just make sure you have the first aid kit handy. Of course, actually setting a real bear trap probably goes beyond what is acceptable workplace behavior.
So, we're going to go ahead and assume that someone didn't actually set a real bear trap – they're used to catching bears, and that means you don't want to even pretend to set one up to clamp down on the behind of someone you work with.
Why the Long Face?
If there's one thing you need to take away from this article, it's that leaving to go on vacation is a dangerous prospect. Apparently, you should expect anything from an office full of random objects to a cubicle covered in pictures of your least-favorite celebrity to be waiting for you when you get back to work.
If your coworkers are the creative sort, they might also dress up a mannequin in a tux from “Dumb and Dumber” and pop a rubber horse head on top. It certainly makes cleaning up a lot easier than some of the other options.
This Will Teach You
Be careful with those avocados – they aren't as healthy for you as we all might think. Or, maybe someone just got a little flippant with the knife they were using while they were making some guacamole. The best way to make sure this kind of thing doesn't happen again is to put up a sign that mocks the person who got wounded while making lunch.
Increase the number of days slowly, and make sure the person gets the picture that this sort of thing shouldn't happen very often. It really shouldn't happen at all.
Can't You People Read?
Less a “prank” and more “completely and totally disregarding written rules,” this picture shows us what happens when someone doesn't care about floor 4's stapler. It gets to go on a worldwide adventure! First it hits up Disneyland, then it's off to one of the country's best stadiums for a little bit of America's pastime.
After that, it's off to the canals of Venice to ride the famous gondolas, and then finally to New York City. Oh, no, look, somebody put a little label on us that says “Floor 4. Do not remove.” Oh well, it's too late now.
A Look Into the Future
We all know that coffee tends to have an effect on people. Really, anything with caffeine in it is going to do something similar but paired with a morning bran muffin, and the effect is moved up a level. Somebody decided that a warning was in order, or at least a little bit of office fun with the coffee machine.
We're going to guess that this little decal was torn off by some prim Karen of the workplace, but it is a little stomach-turning. Coffee is what keeps a lot of workplaces running, so making it seem like you're drinking something nasty isn't what a lot of people are after.
Lots of Shouting From the Break Room Lately
When it comes to additions to the workplace, nothing beats a new coffee machine. The tech has come a long way from paper filters, grinding your own coffee beans, and watching the coffee drip into the pot. Of course, things haven't exactly gotten to “Star Trek” levels just yet, so if you see somebody shouting at the coffee machine, gently let them know it's a joke.
If they point to the sign, just take the sign off and get back to work, hopefully without having to listen to people shout at the coffee machine all day long.