Pink Slips for 'Planking' on the Job [Video]
What started as "The Lying Down Game" a few years ago in Australia has recently resurfaced with a new name. The idea behind "planking" is simple. People take turns lying down, face down, with their hands at their sides and toes pointed down. A friend then snaps a photo to upload to a Facebook fan page where over 300,000 fans can critique and "Like" the photo. Obviously, the more public or wild the location, the better.
This viral fad has some employers scratching their heads and concerned about it as a matter of safety in the workplace. After one Australian man fell to his death while planking on a seventh-story balcony, employers are taking action.
Woolworths, the largest employer in Australia, fired eight workers in mid-May for allegedly breaking health and safety rules while planking. Two employees were fired from Santos, an Australian oil and gas company, for planking on top of a smokestack at a company plant.
If you haven't seen examples of this peculiar fad, check out the videos below. But remember, if you choose to plank at work ... keep it H.R. appropriate.
Planking at Work - and Getting Away With It
Planking at the Mall
Next: Employees Caught Dancing on the Job
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