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[Old video cassette recording comes to life, showing a modern office interior and smiling employees.] Ah, office life. It’s peaceful. It’s pure bliss. And it’s so amazing that — [laughs out loud] I’m sorry, I tried to get through this without laughing, but I just couldn’t! Office life is a hoot and so full of drama, gossip, and weirdness, you can’t turn a corner without bumping into this fearsome threesome while you’re on your way back home to rest up for tomorrow’s workday.

To show you just how hilarious (and soul-crushingly sad) things can get, the Bored Panda team (ironically, working from home because of the Pandemic Apocalypse raging outside) has collected some of the very best memes about office life. You’re bound to relate to them if you’ve ever spent any time working at an open-plan desk or in a cubicle or stood next to the watercooler, awkwardly sipping from one of those tiny styrofoam cups.

Be sure to upvote your fave office memes and drop us a comment or two about the hilarious, weird, and hilariously weird things that go on in your office, dear Pandas? And read on to learn about the more lighthearted, as well as the more serious issues of office life.

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I’ve had the absolute pleasure of writing about office life extensively here at Bored Panda. In fact, it sometimes feels like there isn’t an office-related topic that I haven’t touched on (maybe with the exception of outdoor offices, but we’ll get there!). One of the things that can get office employees riled up is the temperature in shared spaces.

For instance, did you know that research has shown that men and women perform math and verbal tasks differently depending on how cold or hot it is? In general, if you make it warmer, women have been shown to perform these tasks better, though men’s performance drops slightly. So if you want to increase the general productivity at a gender-equal office, it’s best to err on the side of too warm rather than too cold. (As someone who’s constantly cold, I wholeheartedly support this research.)

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Image credits: adamkalavsky

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Image credits: pant_leg

However, far from everything is all about having fun, gossiping, and dealing with drama. Working at the office can be a real challenge because of inequality and sexism.

Elizabeth Arif-Fear, writer and founder of ‘Voice of Salam,’ is a human rights advocate and explained to Bored Panda that real gender equality at the workplace can only be achieved if “men in positions of leadership are willing to recognize their privilege and ensure open positions for people based on merit and if wider society continues to tackle gender-based stereotypes based on certain professions being ‘male’ or ‘female.’”

According to Arif-Fear, Western society is beginning to have healthier conversations about inappropriate behavior at the office, too. However, she believes that there’s still a long way to go, as some men are, in her opinion, reacting uncomfortably to the changes.

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“Things vary between sectors/professions and location, I think we’re making progress regarding gender-based stereotypes, but with the continuing gender pay gap, there’s a long way to go and I don’t imagine major changes over the next five years. Changes, yes, but there’ll still be some work to be done,” the expert said.

Arif-Fear also pointed out that, for instance in the UK, 1 in 2 women have experienced inappropriate behavior in the workplace, ranging from sexual advances to inappropriate jokes. She also revealed that she and her female colleagues were subjected to sexist comments at a conference not too long ago.

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Image credits: theonion

Getting along with your coworkers, managers, and bosses requires a willingness to find compromises. In short, it’s about balancing between the needs of the company and your own goals, finances, and workload. So a level head and a penchant for negotiations are always valuable.

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Of course, disagreements and miscommunication are something that happens all the time. It’s not something that can ever magically go away. And while some arguments are friendly and can be shrugged with a good laugh and a cup of coffee, others can get a bit too personal because they affect employees in very direct ways.

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Image credits: Steph_I_Will

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Image credits: reddit.com

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Image credits: thatopslife

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Image credits: AyoCjayy

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Image credits: emily_murnane

That’s why it’s important to invest in a capable HR department, so they can mediate any disagreements and ensure high employee morale, no matter the corporate challenges. And there will plenty of those… right alongside hilarious and meme-worthy office life moments!

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Image credits: itsBOMBARDIER

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Image credits: thanksdee

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Image credits: TJKilbride

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Which office life meme was your favorite one? Is life anything like ‘The Office’ at your office, dear Pandas? Are there any major issues going on at work right now? How well do you get along with your managers and coworkers? Do you miss working from the office instead of working from home? Share your thoughts with all of us below!