Watch Out for Pranks on April Fool's Day!
While FUN can have a number of benefits in organizations, the workplace is no place for pranks. Co-workers may want to joke around with their friends, especially on April Fool's Day but it is important to have a policy at work to guide individuals on what is appropriate and what is not. You should definitely consult Human Resources professionals and/or Legal Counsel when creating your policy. According to a post on SHRM's website, any jokes used at work should meet the following criteria:
- Make sure not to destroy or damage anyone's property
- Do not single anyone out or publicly embarrass anyone
- Do nothing that has any risk of harm or injury
- Do not mock or poke fun at anyone's ethnicity, race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, caregiver or disability status, age, or any other protected status.
If anyone needs convincing that pranks at work are a bad idea, check out the examples in the infographic shown. If you know of other workplace examples, please share. Happy April Fool's Day!
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