Are April Fool’s Day Pranks Appropriate in a Professional Environment?
April 2, 2008 by Kristen King
Filed under Business
I won’t leave you in suspense on this one: My response is an adamant "No." As far as I’m concerned, pranks in the office are just as inappropriate as wearing a costume in the office on Halloween. You’re at work. Behave like an adult.
Now, I’m not suggesting that work shouldn’t be fun, or that it can’t be funny. Opening all of the drawers and cabinets in the community kitchen and hanging up a sign that says "I see dead people"? Okay, still not really appropriate for the office, but yes, that’s funny, and something that doesn’t cause a ruckus, like faking an emergency, or hurt anyone. But pulling someone aside and telling them you hear they were getting fired? That is not funny. Neither is alluding to downsizing, shutting down operations, or anything else that will terrify people. Nor is getting people’s hopes up only to dash them. And it’s never funny to humiliate your colleagues by embarrassing them or hurting their feelings in front of others.
Here’s what some folks around the blogosphere said on or about April Fool’s Day:
- April Fool’s Day: Dealing with humor in the workplace @ PimpYourWork.com
- Need more time? Google has the answer! @ StartupSpark.com
- IRS Considers Tax Exempt Status for Bloggers @TaxGirl.com
- A mess of subprime fools @ LeadershipTurn.com
- April 2nd – The Day After @LinkedIntelligence.com
- Are These Two Bloggers Fooling Us? @BizChicksRule.com (thanks, Bridget!)
- TweetBait, April Fools and Jokes on a Blog @ Problogger.net
- US Congress to Pass Anti-Freelancer Law @ ContractWorker.com
- Also, Dogs and Cats Will Live Together in Peaceful Harmony @ The 501(c) Files
Appropriate or not? I’m totally on board with some, not so much so with others. But I want to know what YOU think, about these links or April Fool’s Day in general. Leave a comment.
Contents © Copyright 2008 Kristen King
(photo via SXC.hu)
Tags: women in businss, women and business, business advice for women, april fools day, pranks, office humor, appropriate in the office, crossing the line, what’s too much at work, biz chicks rule, kristen king
I liked the Google one because it was funny – it made me laugh. I also like Kelly’s because I knew from the first second that it was a joke – but a joke so well written that it cracked me up. And the You Tube deal was pretty funny too.
An April Fools’ joke by definition should make you laugh right? Not almost give you a heart attack. Although, then I do think that how some people can pull of tricks is cool – because I suck at planned jokes. I can be funny, but masterminding a huge trick ordeal, is not so much me.
I don’t like scary jokes, or tricks that mess with your life or mindset, that screws with my work mode. I think as soon as a joke tries to get you to do something – i.e like problogger’s Twitter deal it’s not ok. I missed the whole Twitter thing but read how so many people were emailing about it later. Waste o’ time.
I bet people disagree with me though.