Prepare To Be Pranked This Thursday

No joking around, this coming Thursday is April Fool’s Day. And as we commented on last week, it is a time for pulling pranks. But not necessarily in the office place. In our “Office Pranks Are No Joke” blog, we revealed that surveys show a majority of office workers disapprove of having jokes pulled on them every first of April. According to a new survey, however, more than a third of office workers have found themselves pranked on the goofy annual celebration.

As QMI Agency reports on The Toronto Sun‘s website today, a poll conducted by CareerBuilder Canada has found that 42% of workers intend on pulling an April Fool’s Day joke in the office this coming Thursday. The survey revealed that “concerns about the economy and job security won’t dampen their enthusiasm as people need comic relief in tough times.”

Of those who took the survey, which was conducted this past November among 720 full-time employees, 29% admitted to having been instigators of April Fool’s Day jokes. Last week’s blog commented on the fact that pulling office pranks are not necessarily a bad thing. They must however, take into consideration what is deemed appropriate in the workplace. It is also imperative to consider who the prank is being pulled on so as to not cause harm or embarassment.

CareerBuilder Canada’s survey reported some of the most popular pranks that have taken place in office setting. They include moving an employee’s entire office, including desk, computer and wall posters into the bathroom, informing co-workers to put their chairs on their tables to allow pest controllers to set traps for rodents, putting an entire shaker of salt into the morning coffee, wrapping a cubicle in wrapping paper and placing goldfish in the water cooler.

The survey’s respondents, who kept themselves anonymous of course, also revealed a rather creative and interesting prank to pull on the boss. It involves “having an outside supplier approach a manager about hiring the entire department’s staff and having every member of staff call in sick at five minute intervals.”

Interestingly, it seems as of CareerBuilder Canada is already pulling an April Fool’s Day joke. As QMI Agency writes, “A spokesperson for CareerBuilder was not immediately available for comment on the survey and efforts to leave a message were thwarted by a faulty answering machine.”

Knowing Synergy’s Vice President of Marketing, John Meloche, chances are the big man may have some tricks up his sleeve for the staff this coming Thursday. Anyone who is willing to take a pie to the face for the enjoyment of his team, is bound to find some measure of revenge on the day when he can most easily get away with it.

So watch out this Thursday. Remember to have fun and keep your pranks light-hearted. It’s always a good idea to keep the work environment a fun place. However, letting things get out of hand will only make a fool out of you.