April Fools’ Day is the one magical time of year where chaos is not only accepted, it’s encouraged. But before you go full Michael Scott and declare a fire drill, let’s talk about safe, work-appropriate, and completely HR-friendly pranks that only require one thing: your trusty office janitorial and sanitary supplies.
Whether you’re armed with a roll of paper towels or a suspiciously large stack of toilet paper, here are five pranks that will make your coworkers laugh (and only slightly question your sanity).
Treat your Coworkers to Brownies, sort of…
All you need is some brown construction paper and a pair of scissors! This classic prank is both simple and hilarious – just cut out the letter ‘E’ from the brown paper. Then, ask your coworkers if they’d like a brownie and hand them the ‘E’ instead. Sure, they might question your trustworthiness after this, but it’s totally worth the laugh!
The Tissue Box Switcheroo
Gently remove all the tissues from a coworker’s box, replace them with dryer sheets, and re-insert a tissue on top. They’ll question their cold, their nose, and possibly reality.
Confetti, fake bugs, or inspirational quotes printed on tissues are also effective.
New AI-powered Printer
Place an eye-catching sign in the print room that reads: “Congratulations! This printer is now AI-powered. Simply state your print request and await processing.” Enjoy watching as coworkers hesitantly engage with it.
The Great Soap Swap
Unscrew the hand soap in the bathroom and replace it with clear (and safe!) gelatin. It won’t pump out, and people will be furiously smacking the bottle while muttering things like, “This is why I have trust issues.”
No harm, no foul – just clean confusion. (We also recommend putting a bottle of hand sanitizer next to the sink… lest people completely give up and walk around with grimy hands all day – bleh!)
The Restroom Rave
Place a motion-activated party light or tiny Bluetooth speaker (playing elevator techno) in the bathroom stall and post a sign that says, “Welcome to Club Clean.”
You’ve never seen someone question their life choices faster than when they hear a bass drop next to the soap dispenser.
Important Reminder from Our Legal-ish Team
These pranks should never involve messes, injuries, or anything requiring a meeting with HR (or worse, Facilities). Keep it clean, keep it fun, and keep your job.
Need supplies to pull it all off? You know who’s got your back. GOS has everything from tissues to trash liners – and maybe a mop for your “VIP Lounge.”
Happy April Fools’ Day, prank responsibly.
