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" So long as a joke carried out in an office environment doesn&amp;#039;t stir up any unwanted drama or hurt feelings, we&amp;#039;re all for workplace fun. Don&amp;#039;t believe us? Check out our recent article 10 Outrageous Office Pranks. But this year having been as shaky as it has (budget cuts, layoffs, terminations, reorganizations, etc.), experts warn: Keep your pranks appropriate to avoid souring a professional relationship.  The Creative Group, who conducted telephone interviews this month with 250 marketing and advertising executives across Canada, reported to The Chronicle Herald that fifty eight percent of those executives interviewed said April Fool&amp;#039;s pranks were unsuitable for work. But nobody&amp;#039;s saying you can&amp;#039;t have fun, just to be aware of the messages you could be sending, and pending circumstances, how they might be received. Factors to consider when plotting a prank: Job Security: The Creative Group VP Lara Dodo says steer clear of jokes that can potentially alienate or hurt someone&amp;#039;s feelings, like sending out a false letter of termination to a coworker. That person, she explains, especially now, might already be worried about their job safety, and the joke could prompt an unsuspected reaction that might make working with each other awkward. Stress: With layoffs, some of us may have picked up extra work that&amp;#039;s kept us at the office later, and away from our usual stress-stabilizing activities, like working out and socializing. Todo says, &amp;quot;When people are more stressed and have more on their plate, sometimes what was once seen as humorous may not be seen as humorous at all.&amp;#039;&amp;#039; Career Advancement: We&amp;#039;ve all seen how personal behaviors can affect our jobs. The unraveled careers of several politicians over the past two years is proof enough. If you&amp;#039;re seeking a promotion, don&amp;#039;t assume that playing a joke on your peer\u2014especially ones that turns out to have a negative consequence\u2014won&amp;#039;t reflect one way or another on your professional character.  "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.womansday.com/life/news/a44402/as-april-fools-day-approaches-mind-the-politics-of-work-pranks-3146/>