No Office Space Left For Pranks

I worked at a company that had very limited office space for higher managers. When someone got promoted they had to wait until an appropriate size office was vacated.

My boss got promoted and there was no available office. So she waited. 

And waited.

There were a few other people in the same circumstance as her, but instead of a ‘first come, first served’ rule you claimed the office by submitting the appropriate form first, then you got it. 

A couple of months go by, and my boss is slightly frustrated having missed out on a few opportunities. It’s the day of a big meeting; her boss, boss’ boss, and even one more level up.

My office mate and I burst into the conference room.

Me: “We apologize for interrupting, but [Boss] has to come now to claim an office that has just become available!”

Her boss scowls a little and then tells her to go.

She follows us out and in the atrium to see that instead of one of the offices vacated, we’ve pitched a tent fully populated with a desk, a phone, and a working terminal! We all start laughing at her reaction, but she is a little upset.

Boss: “You’re making me look bad in front of [senior management]!”

She turns around and all of the attendees of the meeting have followed her and are enjoying the joke. Her boss, seeing that she’s mad, steps up and says:

Her Boss: “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a staff that cares more for their boss than they care for you. They organized this whole thing to celebrate your well-deserved promotion.”

Boss: “I mean, they are usually amazing… when they’re not up to shenanigans!”

Her Boss: “Just so you know, they cleared it with me to make sure we’d all be okay with this. And, as it turns out, [Boss’ Boss] pulled some strings and that room there—” *pointing to where some people are standing* “—is your new office!”

Yes, some coworkers and I had discovered the office was about to become available and managed to get it secured for her (with some help) as a surprise. When you have a great boss you will do what you can to show them you’re grateful you’re not working for one of the bad ones!