Time magazine is running a feature about The Office and NBC’s invitation for viewers to send in photos of hijinks in their own workspaces, like those often featured on the show. Some of the pranks featured on the show have been hilarious. From simple things like Jim enveloping Dwight’s stapler in Jello, to more complicated things like Jim putting coins in Dwight’s phone handset and then taking them out causing Dwight to hit himself in the head, you have to appreciate their creativity.
Some of the pranks featured in the Time magazine piece are equally creative. One picture showed an office filled with 1,700 balloons. Another picture showed a cubicle literally gift-wrapped from top to bottom. These pranks are awesome, to be sure. But they are also completely unproductive and not advisable from a legal standpoint.
When pranks get out of hand and make a work situation intolerable, the affected employees could bring a claim against the company. While one may think it would be impossible for silly pranks to lead to an intolerable work environment, remember that not everyone reacts the same. Remember when Andy lost his mind and punched a hole through a wall when Jim hid his cell phone in the ceiling? It’s possible that the company could be responsible for sending Andy over the edge. It’s not a defense to say that Andy was prone to going nuts.
There are better ways to foster a fun work environment than filling a coworker’s cubicle with packing peanuts. Maybe host a company picnic –- what could go wrong there?
