Halloween "Trick"

[KristyHall]

the situation makes me uncomfortable. If the entire office is willing to single out someone for a prank like that in a professional environment, including the management, it says to me that the professionalism of the environment is not as it should be.

It bothers me even more the management, a position of authority, is involved. If the entire staff is willing to do this to one person whom does not have the best social skills then I have to wonder if it is really this person that is the problem or if it is the office culture that he seems to not fit into that is the problem.

Each professional environment has a culture all its own, some are healthy and some are toxic but most are in between. The culture can become toxic when one person doesn't quite fit into this culture. Especially when the management becomes involved in further singling out this individual who "annoys" the others in a public display of disapproval such as an office prank that involves everyone.

If it was made on a well liked person who would enjoy such a prank then the atmosphere would be different. It would be one done in kind humor. But if done on someone whom everyone dislikes, as a method to try and teach them a lesson in a passive aggressive manner, then it becomes a problem that is greater than the problem the targeted person is creating.

IMO, anyhow.

 

[justafewchickens]

A good prank is one that everyone, including the victim, can appreciate the humor in. It doesn't sound like anyone would want to be singled out like that, especially if the higher ups were in on it tof course, this is coming from someone quite frequently as a kid who was singled out and made fun of.

 

[TinyChickenLady]

Quote:
Very well said. I agree 100%

 

[Royd]

I don't really have a horse in this race, but I'll dress up as the Devil's Advocate today, because that's always the most fun.

How many people spend a very large portion of their lives, watching comedies or dramas on tv, which abide by the pc attitude mandated by the HR personnel? That show wouldn't last long.

It could be that this person has spent his life thinking the office life is about one huge gossip fest, rather than staying in your cube with you nose in the computer screen. A prank, here and there, is part of that life where tv drives life.

 

[Marcymom3]

Someone has been watching too many mindless, dumb-down America, not funny, canned laughtracked, stupid, network sitcoms if they think something like this is funny.

That the person is a know-it-all pita is irrelevant. I'm not even going to ask how you would feel being the butt of this so called joke. But, what would you think if this type of prank was played on someone you love? Can you imagine 70 people snickering behind their hands and pointing at your child or spouse? In my opinion, this was not a good natured prank played on someone who was able to laugh at himself. It was clearly done to humiliate and embarrass this employee. And yes, it IS bullying. Inexcusable. Shame on the management for going along with it. If there are problems with this guy's attitude it should be handled professionally and with dignity. If I owned the company, someone would be held accountable if this employee came to me with a complaint.

And worse, I bet the people will probably lie out their teeth when he asks they why the didn't dress up. I bet there isn't a single person who would tell him to his face that people decided to prank him because he's an annoying pita.

 

[KristyHall]

what does pita mean in this manner? I only know pita as a type of bread.

 

[Marcymom3]

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Pain in the A$$

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

Nope, not cool at all...

 

[Royd]

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So, you've never watched the show, "Punk'd" and laughed at the embarrassment or humiliation of the butt of the joke? How about the old show, Candid Camera. The original Gotcha show? There have been dozens of such shows, in between. All of them, making some innocent person look like an idiot, and most people ROFL.

 

[greeneggsandham]

As much as I love a good prank this one was not a good one. He could feel humiliated and retaliate against the company. By everyone singling him out he could go to human resources and file a complaint against every other employee there.

Management should have sat with him and talked with him about how he acts at work. He should not be butting in on other employee's private conversations.