5 fun and harmless April Fool’s Day pranks for the office

Everyone loves a good laugh, which can boost workplace morale, but where do you draw the line? Here are some fun but harmless April Fool's Day pranks sure to make you the hit of your office.

The first of April's tradition of pranks can be good fun – until your boss sees your shenanigans. But if you can find a balance between funny and inoffensive, you’ll soon become both admired and feared by your co-workers! (Just don't switch the regular coffee with decaf. That's plain mean.) Here are a few hilarious ideas that even your boss will probably enjoy!

Look under your colleague’s computer mouse. See the tracking wheel or light? Cover it with a sticky note with the message “April Fools!” When he or she tries to use the mouse…nothing.

• A simple, yet effective way to make your favourite co-worker go bonkers for a few minutes.

We might pretend that balloons are only for kids, but come on: everyone loves a balloon.

• If you're willing to spend a few bucks, rent an air tank. If you'd rather save the cash (and have the lung capacity or a few willing office accomplices), simply spend an hour blowing up a package or two of balloons.
• Then, fill your boss' office or cubicle and sit back and wait for a prank that will surely get you into his or her good graces.

You might remember a prank from your youth where a bucket of water was balanced on a door left slightly open. When someone entered, the bucket tipped over, drenching them.

• Although not the best way to go about making friends at work, replace the water with torn-up newspaper or “confetti” from the three-hole punch. When your victim opens the door…whoosh! A shower of shredded paper! It’s the same element of surprise without the dry-cleaning bills.
• Just remember not to use a metal bucket or any large, heavy container in case it falls on the victim’s head. Safety first!

While winter is over, who's to say that there isn't one last lingering cold going around? Let the calls start coming in an hour before punch-in time:

“Sorry, boss. Can't make it in today, got that bug that's going around.”

• Try to get as many of your co-workers as possible in on this.
• Give yourself imaginary bonus points if the only one you don't tell is the new guy in the office.
• Try and cap this off without your boss seeing red at the empty desks by showing up (slightly) late with a cake in tow.

The first episode of The Office made this trick famous, but have you ever actually seen it in person? We bet few of your co-workers have, either. Maybe this is the year to change that.

• Inconspicuously “borrow” your favourite co-worker’s stapler and bring it home.
• Stir up a big batch of Jell-O in a bowl. Before leaving it to cool in the fridge, put the stapler in the bowl.
• Place in the fridge overnight, bring the Jell-O to work and place the snack in their desk drawer.
• Then, simply wait until a document needs collating.

The secret to a good prank is making sure it's something everyone can laugh about later, including the person on whom it was played. Most of all: be safe, be kind and of course, have fun and you just might get some credit for boosting everyone's morale!