Workplace April Fools Pranks

Pulling April Fool’s jokes in the workplace should be done with care as you don’t want to upset someone and create a hostile atmosphere in the office. However, harmless pranks can be fun for everyone involved, including the one being pranked. Here are some ideas for pranks suitable for the workplace.

Take a Hostage

This harmless prank can work for any type of workplace. Take an item from the victim such as a tool, a stapler or something else they would normally use during the day. Take a photo of the item, place the picture in the spot normally reserved for the item, and leave an anonymous ransom note with the picture.

Disable a Mouse

Before your intended victim gets to work or when they leave their desk, stick a Post-it note on their mouse so the trackball doesn’t work or to cover the sensor on the mouse. When the victim tries to use it, it will not work and when they turn over the mouse to see what the problem is, they will find the Post-it with “April Fools” written on it.

Create a Chain

Choose a victim that has a paperclip holder or box of paperclips on or in their desk. Link all of the paperclips in a chain and place the holder or box back where it normally sets. When the victim goes to get a paperclip, they will pull out an entire chain instead of just one paperclip. If need be, unclip some papers on their desk so they will need to get another paperclip on April Fool’s Day.

Paperclip in Printer

Make several copies of a paperclip on a piece of paper and then put those sheets of paper upside down in the paper tray of the copier or a printer. When someone goes to make copies or print out a document, they will get an image of the paperclip on the sheet and then go nuts trying to find the offending paperclip in the copier or printer.

Switching Calls

This is an easy prank to pull if you have two colleagues that sit side by side. Unclip their phone lines and switch them so when their phones ring, they will be getting calls meant for the other person. They will be confused all day by the mix-up and you can easily undo the prank so that calls go to the correct phones the next day.