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Workplaces and offices are their own ecosystems. And, frankly, it can be a real jungle in there, dear Pandas. Among the forests of cubicles and the plains of open-space hot desks, in between the towering water coolers and coffee machine islands, you’ll find the natives. They’re industriously typing away on keyboards and working so hard, they’re making their mice squeak. They’ve exchanged cozy bonfires and the sounds of nature for warmly-glowing screens and headphones full of strange sounds. And they look a lot like you and me.

Office life comes with its own quirks, jokes, dreams, and even nightmarish problems to tackle. Anyone who’s ever worked in one knows that there are just as many bizarre cons as there are pros. But what would any workplace be without any humor? We thought we’d bring a smile to your face, so today we’re featuring the popular ‘Employee Tears’ Instagram project and its relatable work memes.

Quite a few of these had me giggling so hard, I had to excuse myself and be alone for a few minutes because of how close they hit to home. Grab yourself a big cup of coffee, a donut or two (or a healthier option if there are any around!), and have a see for yourselves, Pandas. Don’t forget to upvote the memes you liked the most and be sure to share them with your friends. Preferably during work hours so they can catch a break!

More info: Instagram | Twitter

Last week, I spoke to cloud engineer and data analytics consultant Kierra about switching careers, figuring out if we need a fresh start, and how we should view job satisfaction.

The expert, who helps people pivot into new roles, told Bored Panda that employees should think about changing careers "when they’re bored, feel like they’re undervalued, or feeling like work is causing their mental/physical health to suffer."

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Chucky Cheezburger
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

A-forking-men... This makes it harder to set actual, realistic goals for people that want to have a life beyond working.

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"I think it’s rare to feel certain [about career change], especially when your financial stability is on the line but it’s important that you always advocate for yourself, even when it might not feel 'great,'" Kierra noted that it’s difficult to know if your decision to switch jobs is objectively right. However, you have to do what feels right for you, even if things seem scary.

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Kierra said that open and regular communication and consistently checking in with employees is what managers should aim for. 

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Ryan Deschanel
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

No. Plus, companies totally made-up that myth about telling your wage being rude so they can keep exploiting people. If you ever found out that your coworkers earn more than you, you would not be mad at them, you would be mad at your boss... And you would be right.

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KJ
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I would have loved to see her face as she skipped out the office grinning like the Cheshire cat.

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Al Cook
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2 years ago

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This isn't funny, imagine how easily this may have turned a good work environment toxic. It's possible she was on her way out for some form of poor performance, trouble making or other malfeasance, and has now deliberately tried to make her colleagues lives more difficult. In fact given that she was this vindictive I'd say it's likely she had already caused issues.

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Andy Acceber
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Wage transparency is so important for workers. If it's legal where you live, talk with your coworkers about your salaries. Talk about your starting rates. Talk about your raises, your benefits. When employees don't talk about this, employers can get away with paying different rates to people in the same position. Often, those discrepancies perpetuate historical bias. It's a problem. Fortunately, it's easily fixable with when workers have these open conversations and demand equal pay for equal work.

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Ivana
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Only good thing about working for the state is everyone's salaries are listed online. Use it all the time when negotiating my salary.

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Kookamunga
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I had a job 20 years ago that treated me pretty badly. When I left, I deleted all the vital files they would need to give my replacement and left them with pictures of kittens instead. No regrets.

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Katherine Jorgensen
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Completely legal. Salary discussion between co-workers should be the norm.

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Atero
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'd say such practice should be mandatory in all places. Accidentally figuring what new hires get better offer then ppl who spend years in the company is a bit depressing...

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Owiella Freddie
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Companies may have "policies" about disclosing your salary to other employees, but any savvy person knows how to get that information from a variety of different sources. From a legal perspective, there is no "law" that salary information for any individual is confidential.

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Board Pan, duh.
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We have our list by title in our policies book and if anyone gets a raise it is in a chart form. Transparent... that's in Canada though. Also if there are changes it is sent as a policy change memo/email.

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Simon
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Where I live it's illegal to not disclose what your colleagues earn if asked. (live in Norway)

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Chris Sprucefield
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2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

EU? GDPR? This could have her behind bars, and her (personally) as well as the the company opened up to pay unlimited fines... Just sayin... (quite in fact, there are already verdicts on this kind of "disclosures" to that extend, where people got practically find out of existence)

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zrwhol cue
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

who cares about wages, always ask more...always blaming others instead of asking.....you want the others to do the interwiev for you basically

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De Gueb
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The owner of the company I work for had a villa near are local office in Spain. Sometimes I had to go had short computer stuff for him. One day he left a sheet with the managers wage and bonus for that year. it was insulting to see what some of them earned.

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Charmaine Blackley
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I so wanted to do that when I was 'replaced' because I was pregnant. But I signed an NDA. Love it!

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Paradise
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

For who to see? Maybe one person who then tossed it? I mean, that could have a couple of different outcomes.

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Buren
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This happened to my office, and the document was distrubuted before the HR was aware about it.

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Mich
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2 years ago

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This was likely incredibly disruptive and upsetting for many people. Sure the company would have been pissed, but there is more to people’s salary than meets the eye.

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Al Cook
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2 years ago

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Thank you for being at least one other person who sees sense.

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the child
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

found it https://www.boredpanda.com/stolen-office-lunch-shrimp-fried-rice-zak-toscani/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=organic

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"Asking at least biweekly will allow them to learn how each individual on their team works and what is important to them in their career. This can help the manager to adjust what goals and tasks the people they manage should work on… to get the best out of their role and to maximize their career,” she told Bored Panda.

In Kierra’s opinion, job satisfaction is very subjective. However, things like a higher salary can help motivate workers to do better. 

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"Most would probably say money [increases job satisfaction] since it’s needed for survival, but there are many people who are out there doing what they love even though it might not pay well. In reality, I think people want to work a job where they feel appreciated and heard in all aspects (from career goals, innovative ideas, compensation, etc)," she said.

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Thinker Dell
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And when the whole house is burning, they ask you why didn't you say something earlier. When you say you did, they ask you for e-mail proofs. Then they make you admit the whole thing was your fault.

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Valisbourne Spiritforge
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is because the US is no longer a country, it's a corporation and the almighty dollar is king.

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The expert added that managers and the companies themselves ought to be the ones helping motivate their employees and keeping them interested in their jobs in the long run.

"Perhaps one should try to find roles where there’s lots of opportunity for growth and internal transfer in the event you would like to try something else," she mentioned what the employees can do themselves.

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So, dear Pandas, which of these work and office memes were your favorite ones? Have you ever worked in an office? If so, what were your most and least favorite parts about the whole thing? Let us know in the comments. Meanwhile, if you’re in the mood for some more memes about work, you can check out Bored Panda’s articles here, here, and here.

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Valisbourne Spiritforge
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Haha, the whole 'commitment to working' thing. I work with a guy who spends 16 - 20 hours a day at work. He's SO proud of it and thinks the company likes it too (I'm sure they do). Sadly, if he'd just shut his mouth and stop socializing, he'd get everything he does all day done in about 4 - 5 hours and be a happier person.

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Richard Hunt
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I remember of dreaming about making the amount of money that I'm starving on now 😶

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Auntriarch
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I got bollocked by the manager of the other office for not recognising him on the phone and asking for his name. The reason I didn't recognise him was that I had only started that morning, being a temp while the usual secretary was on leave. But he didn't recognise that I wasn't her... And yes, for the whole month I asked him his name, every day. Because my job was to transfer calls to the person I was actually working for with the name of the caller, not to pander to the inflated egos of twats

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Serial pacifist
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Ok, who's daddy? I would like to be the grandpa who sits in the armchair and watches TV all day.

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TitanFoxX
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yes, but people who respond quickly also want it of their todo list. You are not the only one who is busy. Besides, you have no idea how much time people already wasted before their email reached you :-)

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Al Cook
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2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Actually that's not true in most places. Though there are legally mandated holiday accruals in most permanent jobs, the actual dates you take off must be agreed at the company's discretion.

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troufaki13
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

They also offer you a chance to look at their brand new super expensive sports car

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rspanther
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's the same look I give the when the boss says do it this way and you saying it won't work, and surprise it doesn't work.

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Ozacoter
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That reminds me to the place where I worked for the first time. When I left they were demanding a master in biology/vet, fluent spanish and english and minimum 6m experience for free internships!

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Al Cook
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I think its safe to say, everyone of working age in an office environment, has done this AT LEAST once. Some people I know seem to make it part of their daily routine!

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Andy Acceber
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yep. I once had a woman go on an absolute tirade that our private business didn't have a Christmas tree in the lobby. It was the weirdest complaint, but she was livid.

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Ozacoter
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I got in trouble for using popcorn instead of raisins to fill one toy for our primates. Popcorn was allowed dont get me wrong, but that toys description said raisins so my f****d up coworker (who tought that was my boss) made a huge issue out of it. The toy was just a log with small holes in it to hide food. You could theoretically put anything that fits inside, from seeds to peanut butter. But no, the example said raisins so I am a monster for puting something else.

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Ryan Deschanel
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And then, you remember it means you are now unemployed and broke... And your secret snacks were still in your drawer.

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Chucky Cheezburger
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Jeez gawd I feel this so damn much....I dont CARE about whatever the hell you're yammering about Just please Shut. The. Fork. UP!!!!!

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