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Passive-Aggressive Notes That Took Office Drama To The Next Level

Darren Ryding May 10, 2023

Pen Abduction

The following note shows that somebody in this office has too much time on their hands. They ‘abducted’ a pen and now are demanding a 50-dollar ransom. We’re not sure if anybody is going to take the bait but it’s funny that they went to this effort. We don’t what the owner’s relationship to this pen is but that’s a serious message.

However, it can’t be a very expensive pen because they have refills. The kidnapper may have overplayed their hand in this scenario. They took it to the next level by threatening the safety of the pen but this may work against them. The borderline criminal effort is certainly a strange way to get back at an office co-worker (via Imgur).

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Dirty Dishes

One of the most irritating scenarios in any workplace is when people don’t wash up in the kitchen. In the best case, it creates a mess that’s uncomfortable to be in. But usually, it means that somebody else must clean if they want to use a cup or dishes. It’s frustrating because they shouldn’t have to do this.

This person took matters to the next level by calling out a messy colleague. They wrote a passive-aggressive note that we can see above but the ending is amazing. It’s like they stuck the knife into the perpetrator before viciously twisting it. We don’t blame them, yet it’s a harsh and humiliating lesson (via Reddit).

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Helpful Refrigerator Chart

There’s nothing quite like sarcastic and passive-aggressive notes to ramp up the tensions in a workplace. We’re sure that the following example went down like a lead balloon. Firstly, we give the creator top marks for their dedication to the cause. But we don’t think their colleagues will appreciate this very much.

The heading ‘Helpful Refrigerator Chart’ is one of the most infuriating things we’ve ever seen. The problem with this is that it may have triggered people and made them want to steal more. Sometimes these things can be counterproductive and this may be the case here (via Twitter).

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Double Trouble

Sometimes workplaces throw up questions that nobody in the universe could answer. The following passive-aggressive note shows one of these inexplicable ponderings. The author advises staff members not to use two microwaves at the same time. But we see the incredible response below.

There may be two microwaves for dietary reasons. Maybe some workers follow a kosher or halal diet. But it’s a hilarious question that may rattle a Nobel Prize Winner. It’s an outstanding response that must have irritated the original author. No doubt it brought a smile to everybody else in the office (via Reddit).

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Take A Number

We assume that there isn’t a live grenade in the picture below because that’s probably illegal. We’re not entirely sure because it feels like something that would be acceptable in Alabama but who knows? This is potentially one of the messiest passive-aggressive notes in history.

As we can see from the picture above, the author raised the stakes. They took tensions to the next level by attaching an explosive to their note because they wanted to make their point clear. We think that they got everybody’s attention but human resources may not share the same appreciation (via Cheezburger).

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Go Away

Sometimes a TV show captures the world’s imagination and people can’t stop talking about it. Game of Thrones is the definitive example because everybody watched it and theorized about it. But this irritated the following passive-aggressive note writer who took issue with the office critics.

It’s possible that they were fans who didn’t want to hear spoilers about the latest episode. But we think it’s more likely that they had no interest in the series and found it to be very annoying. It’s annoying when everybody goes on and on about the same topic (via Commercial Real Estate).

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Temporary Existence

Here’s another example of an esoteric, passive-aggressive note in the workplace. Somebody informed all of their colleagues that the printer was temporarily relocated. They left an innocuous message to tell everybody about this change. It didn’t warrant a response but one of the workers decided to write one anyway.

They questioned the meaning of life and the state of the universe in one simple question. We imagine this one brought a smile to everybody’s faces because it’s simple but clever. There’s nothing malicious or angry about this note unlike many of the others on this list. But it’s still very effective and amusing (via Cheezburger).

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We Miss You

Office workers are brilliant at finding ways to waste time. There are many studies about productivity in the workplace because long hours don’t help. This is an example of what happens when people have too much time on their hands. But at least they have a sense of humor.

One staff member left the note above to tell their colleagues to look for them in reception. We can see the funny responses below as someone searches desperately for them. Let’s hope that they found them and that they’re not in trouble. They could be anywhere in the world right now (via Bored Panda).

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Brain Damage

One of the most annoying things in the world is when someone doesn’t change the toilet paper. Everybody knows what it’s like to be in a situation where there’s none left. It leaves them with some stark choices because it could be very messy. Hopefully, somebody can bring another one but that can be embarrassing in the workplace.

One person wrote a passive-aggressive note about this issue and left it in the restroom. However, another colleague took this culture war to the next level with a wicked response. The ironic part of this is that they left the message on a sheet of toilet paper. It’s a fantastic way to troll a pedantic person in the office (via Superstar Communicator).

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Think of the Kittens

Unfortunately, there are lazy people all over the world who leave their dirty dishes in the sink. It takes a couple of seconds to run a plate or a cup under a tap and pretend to wash it properly. But these workers don’t even go that far because they don’t care. However, this didn’t stop someone from trying to appeal to their better nature with a passive-aggressive note.

Who would want to hurt a kitten’s feelings? If they’re unlucky, the perpetrator has a cat allergy and doesn’t care at all. Realistically, this isn’t going to stop anybody from leaving dirty plates or cups anywhere. But it means their colleagues can take things to the next level because they gave them a chance (via Commercial Real Estate).

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Breast Milk

This is possibly the most disgusting entry on this list but it’s also a phenomenal example of revenge. Earlier we saw how someone put estrogen supplements in their drink. But this woman took it to the next level by adding her breast milk to her coffee creamer. That’s a nasty surprise for any office thief because nobody wants that.

Imagine somebody turning as green as the Hulk and vomiting on the spot after reading this. The problem is that if they want to maintain an innocent facade they can’t say anything. It’s one of the best responses we’ve ever seen but it’s slightly disturbing. They showed a lot of dedication to the cause with this effort (via The Sun).

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Take Heed

One office worker took passive-aggressive notes to the next level by making a literary reference. They printed an extract from the Harry Potter novel series and added a threatening image of the boy wizard. This poem comes from Gringotts, the wizarding bank, where goblins protect hordes of gold.

It’s also a creative way of telling people to keep their dirty paws off their colleague’s food. Nobody likes an office thief but it’s amazing what folks will attempt if they think that nobody is watching. Perhaps Harry will put a curse on them if they snatch that leftover candy bar or drink that smoothie (via The Mirror).

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One Bite

The following passive-aggressive note expresses more disgust and derision than most of the entries on this list. A colleague snatched a slice of pizza but didn’t finish the entire thing. Instead, they baited the owner by taking a couple of bites and discarding the sad remnants in the box.

This is extremely depressing because nobody would want to touch it after someone else’s mouth was on it. Either they lacked self-awareness or they didn’t care about upsetting their colleague. We see the response where the victim thanked the thief for considering eating the entire thing next time (via Bored Panda).

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Go Away

This is the second mind map on this list but it’s even more intricate. This passive-aggressive person went to the next level and put a lot of work into this message. They’re tired of their colleagues using a meeting room without booking it. The same workers likely complain when they leave.

However, someone trolls them with an antagonistic response. We see how they write, “This is also another useless sign.” We imagine that there was a lot of negativity in the office after this went up. Imagine the tension between the rival factions over the rightful use of the meeting room (via Springboard).

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Appropriate Currency

There’s a lot of sarcasm on this list but this is up there with the best. One worker advised their colleagues to use appropriate currency when paying for items in the break room. This is reasonable but office staff are a pedantic bunch and love to annoy each other. That’s why somebody insisted on taking things to the next level.

Imagine going to this effort because it’s so dumb. But it’s also quite funny and we appreciate their commitment to the cause. It may not entertain the person who created the original note. Nonetheless, it’s a fine passive-aggressive response that must have made their fellows smile (via Explosion).

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Personal Cups

Nobody is more possessive about their belongings than an office worker. Forget about food in the refrigerator because they’ll go to war over their coffee cup. If someone else dares to use it and doesn’t watch it they may face a duel at dawn. Here’s a passive-aggressive note warning people not to touch their colleague’s cups.

The final word is one of the most threatening in history. There’s no need to spell ‘thanks’ in this way except to strike fear into everybody’s hearts. Everybody reading this can sense the tension in this office but this note ramped it up to the next level. Don’t come between an office worker and their cups (via Reddit).

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Not Debbie’s

Maybe somebody should start giving stamps to Debbie because it seems like she’s very hungry. One passive-aggressive person decided to leave notes on all of their food. Presumably, this is because Debbie is a thief and doesn’t care about taking her colleagues’ lunches. Meanwhile, their horrible punctuation makes it even more annoying.

Think about how much food Debbie must have stolen to make them go this far. They brought things to the next level by marking their territory like a dog in the wild. It’s also laughable because there are at least eight notes in this refrigerator. Who knows if Debbie took the hint (via Reddit)?

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Mouth Sores

This is another masterful passive-aggressive note because it has the right amount of menace. Somebody took their colleague’s lunch and infuriated them. This must have happened frequently because it forced the victim to take drastic measures. Then it culminated in the message that we can see below.

Imagine the paranoia that the thief felt after reading this note. They probably think that their face will resemble a slice of pepperoni pizza after this. Who knows if it’s herpes or if the victim was just messing with their heads? There’s also no handwriting so they retain their anonymity (via Reddit).

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Toilet Dominance

Shared facilities are breeding grounds for confrontations. We see this in gyms when some patrons dominate a machine and refuse to let anybody else use it. But this is even more problematic in the office when someone occupies the toilet for long periods. It’s horrible for other people who are trying to hold it in.

That’s why this person left a passive-aggressive note for one frequent perpetrator. They raised the stakes by sticking it to their nemesis’s laptop screen in an antagonistic move. But it’s a desperate situation so nobody can blame them. The toilet time-waster was probably scrolling on their phone anyway (via Imgur).

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Is Your Name Dave?

This is one of the funniest entries on this list because the victim can’t be mad. They left a passive-aggressive note warning everybody away from their drinks. But they made a crucial error because they wrote; “Is your name Dave?” They didn’t expect another Dave to enter the workplace one day.

The other Dave gratefully took a cold beverage and wrote another note. This must have amused the original Dave because it’s such an outrageous scenario. To be fair, the thief Dave didn’t do anything wrong because he interpreted it literally. It’s hilarious and we’re glad that they took a photo to mark its place in history (via Sauce Monsters).

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Inconsiderate Parker

Everybody hates it when they encounter someone who always parks their car inconsiderately. Some people just don’t care about making life difficult for everybody else. They will take up multiple spaces or they’ll park in a disabled parking area. This is illegal but they don’t care if they can get away without any punishment.

Here’s a situation where one person resented one of their colleagues. They wrote this passive-aggressive not to make their feelings very clear. But the brilliant aspect of this is that they didn’t reveal their identity because they typed the message. Now the bad parker will feel paranoid because they will think that everyone hates them (via Herald Weekly).

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