Part of working with others is the expectation that people dont behave the same way that you do. We all have different levels of comfort when it comes to workplace interactions. We also all have different senses of humor. What is hysterically funny to your coworker may leave you scratching your head in wonder.

We all have our own issues. Your coworker may need everything on his desk in a particular place, or it is difficult for him to concentrate. Some coworkers have phobias or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). If an employee has PTSD, loud noises or sudden movements may cause an exacerbation of symptoms. In the last ten years, over 750,000 people in the U.S. were injured by gunshots. We just dont know what people we work next to every day have been through in their lives.

When does an office prank cross into bullying and harassment? In 2014, 27% of workers reported being bullied at work, either currently or in the past. Another 21% of workers said they have witnessed the bullying of a coworker. What you consider to be a harmless joke could meet the definition of harassment.

The television show The Office has provided a treasure trove of what not to do in the office. Behold the boss, Michael, pranking his receptionist by telling her she is fired. While Michael is the stereotype of the boss that has no self-awareness, there have been worse pranks on others in real-life workplaces. One can reasonably assume that pranking can backfire very quickly, especially in an office setting. An imbalance of power takes prank to bullying much faster. If an employee speaks out against the incident and then gets punished, for example being teased about his reaction, being shut out of a promotion, or stonewalled during team meetings, it escalates a claim of harassment.

In the U.K., a company is available for hire during the week of Halloween to prank your employees and coworkers. What service do they provide? They will dress like terrifying clowns (Pennywise from It is one of their examples) and scare people in your office.They will also film it so people can relive the experience later. Its safe to say that this could cause pandemonium in your office, and cause psychological harm. Quite a few people have an aversion to clowns, and some have a phobia of them. Fear of clowns is known as coulrophobia, and it can result from an evolutionary adaptation, past frightening experience, or have no known cause. When someone has a phobia, their adrenaline system kicks in, enacting the fight, flight, or freeze response. If you tell someone, Oh, its just a person in a costume, dont be scared, phobias just dont work like that. When you have a phobia you are terrified of the thing or event it goes beyond controllable fear. If an office prank has the potential to demean, injure, or otherwise cause an employee discomfort, do not do it. And never give false bad news to someone at the office as a prank.

Dont assume that just because no one told you the prank was obnoxious or harmful at the time that it was okay. According to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, a victim of harassment is not only the person who was the target of the prank, but also an employee that witnessed the prank and is affected by it. If your employee initially laughs as a reaction to a prank, it does not mean your employee did not feel bullied or harassed. Laughing is a defense mechanism when a person is experiencing fear, and your employee may not want to let his coworkers know at the time that he finds your behavior hostile.

Consider also that your employees may have diagnoses of PTSD and phobias filed with human resources. You have now engaged in a prank that specifically exacerbates an employees documented medical condition.

If you are wondering why all the fun has to be taken out of work, you probably need to change your definition of what is considered fun. If you consider something to be a prank, run the idea past upper management and see if it flies. If an office prank has the potential to demean, injure, or otherwise cause an employee discomfort, do not do it. And never give false bad news to someone at the office as a prank. If you identify as a prankster that has a need to scare or surprise people, really think about how it could impact others. For some pranksters, there is an element of having power and control over others that keeps the pranking going. There is a reasonable expectation of decorum and safety at the office. And on that note, you might want to check on how your family and friends feel about your pranks too.

The rest is here:
When Is An Office Prank Considered Harassment? - Forbes