Getting fired from your job feels terrible even when you hate it from the bottom of your heart, but some people just had it coming.
Your boss won’t show you the door if you made one minor slip-up, but some of the mistakes we make are so huge we must own up to them and move on.
The people that are responsible for the disasters in the photos in this list definitely moved on and possibly changed a career afterwards. Here are some of the worst workplace fails ever captured on camera.
Stuck Forever
It’s definitely one of those doors you should never go through, since you might end up being stuck for the rest of eternity. They are probably working just fine, but many people are going to end up being trapped by their confusion and indecision, and simply stay on the other side.
The person who applied these signs either had a really weird sense of humor or failed to realize the mistake. That’s why this entrance features two instructions that are canceling each other out.
Extreme Cycling
Extreme cycling is a pretty broad term, but this photo gives it a whole new meaning. It stands as a constant reminder your easy-breezy ride could turn into a bicycle obstacle course that you’ve never signed up for.
Whoever put up those polls must really hate cyclists for some reason, since this disastrous placement can lead to more than injury. It also has the power to turn cyclists against each other, since it’s safe to expect some of them will end up using the wrong lane, causing havoc along the way.
Wrong Continent
This shirt was either designed by a God of irony or someone who skipped all the geography classes in elementary school. We’d give them a free pass if they’ve mistaken countries for one another, but continents… There’s only seven of them!
Ironically, that’s also up to debate since certain countries prefer five of six-continent model. Whichever direction you may be leaning into, it’s still pretty easy to tell them apart – especially if their outlines on the map look nothing alike.
Sinister Display
We’re not 100% sure what was going through this person’s head when they decided sharp kitchen knives are one of the “back to school” essentials, but there’s a few possible explanations.
Maybe they just wanted to do something nice for busy parents looking for school supplies, since they’re going to need a good knife to make sandwiches for their little ones. Maybe they tried to surprise culinary school students by putting up a display specifically for them. Or maybe someone deserves to be fired ASAP.
Super Batman
Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No! It’s… Batman? The graphic designer that was working on this backpack apparently spent its entire life living under a rock and never learned to tell the difference between the two iconic superheroes.
At least they didn’t put one of the Marvel characters on this mislabeled bag, but the damage has already been done. Let’s hope this store has flexible return policy, but it probably won’t be necessary since no comic book fan would buy this one unironically.
Confused Lion
If you’ve ever wanted to stop your kids from begging you to buy them a new toy every day, this crazy eyed lion is a game changer.
We’re pretty sure it was never supposed to look like that in the first place, but it might end up selling out quickly.
Your kid will never ask you for another toy again after seeing what a terrible choice you made with this one. It’s a miracle this stuffed lion even ended up on a shelf, but they should think about adding it to their regular offer.
Taco Hell
There are many different ways to eat a taco, but it’s impossible to believe there’s someone out there who prefers it like this – unless they enjoy eating all of the essential ingredients separately.
We’re guessing Taco Bell was training a new employee that day, who took the words “cheese and lettuce on the side” a little bit too literally. It’s also possible their depth perception was a little bit off since they’ve forgotten their glasses, and accidently ended up missing the taco completely.
Fitting In
You know that feeling when you’re desperately trying to fit in, but it’s obvious to everyone that you simply don’t belong? So does this car.
This stripe painter took things to a whole new level while painting this sidewalk, and thought the owner of this truck an important lesson about proper parking. The painter could’ve easily called someone to tow the vehicle, but came up with a much better solution that left a lasting impact that can’t be fixed by paying the fine.
Sinking Phone
And the award for the worst marketing campaign in history goes to… Whoever came up with this disastrous display.
Don’t get us wrong – iFloat sounds like a great idea on paper, but ideas have to work to be profitable.
In the end of the day, other box phone cases can easily get the job done, and they don’t look ugly as hell. No offence to the iFloat creators, but if their products sinks this easily, it’s just a regular old-fashioned phone no one wants or needs.
Upside Down
Working on a factory line is boring as hell, and every once in a while, boys just wanna have fun!
This mishap isn’t entirely on them though as the graphic designers obviously messed things up since some of the text happens to be facing the right side.
We wouldn’t be mad if this can of Fanta ended up in our hands, since it’s an interesting oddity that doesn’t hurt anyone. This brand happens to be so popular that it’s impossible not to recognize it, even when the logo is upside down.
Side by Side
Putting up a huge billboard usually isn’t a one-person job, which means it took several people to make this disastrous mistake. We can’t even grasp how this happened, since it’s so obvious which side is which. Even if they were foolish enough to skip labeling each piece of the billboard, it was easy to tell this isn’t the right way to put them together.
Let’s just hope none of these workers gets into magic, since we wouldn’t want to see them performing sawing illusions.
Ready to Roll
When the label on the toilet paper says “double roll”, you usually expect two lengths in one, but this photo gave a whole new meaning to that phrase. Whoever bought this package didn’t get what they were expecting – unless they enjoy toilet papers with two cardboard rolls inside.
The only good thing about this whole incident is the fact that a squished cardboard is very close to being set free. Let’s hope this was the only roll in the package that looked like this, so the owner wouldn’t have to deal with ten of them.
Wrong Turn
If you think your sense of direction is bad, this photo will provide you with some comfort. We’re guessing you’re at least capable of telling the difference between left and right – unlike the person that was in charge of printing the instructions on this remote control.
We certainly wouldn’t like to cross paths with this designer on an open road, since they’re definitely the type of people who should stay away from the driver’s seat at all costs.
Let’s hope the owner of this weird remote got used to it, without having this mistake affect other aspects of their daily life.
Cone Artist
Working at an ice cream factory is a dream come true, but this cone artist had to face rude awakening after an experiment gone wrong. He robed this buyer of the joy of enjoying the crunchy feel of a chocolate-dipped ice cream by mixing things up.
Despite the fact it’s all kinds of wrong, we’re sure this ice cream is still delicious. However, it’s a little bit difficult to enjoy it on a hot summer day. Chocolate on a cone is always a no-no, unless you want it melting in your hands.
SOTP Right There
Not everyone can be great at spelling, and this worker thought they can escape their weakness by painting road signs for a living. Unfortunately, things didn’t work out for the best as it turned out this job also requires basic knowledge of the alphabet.
No one even expected this painter doing the job to be a spelling bee champion. They could’ve easily copied the word “stop” from the recognizable hexagon on the right side of the road, without putting any effort into spelling it out.
Parkour Training
Imperfectly designed stairs or a perfectly designed spot for parkour training?
Decide for yourself!
The first one certainly makes more sense, as parkour enthusiasts prefer open spaces, but this one would fit them just right. God knows it’s not suited for anyone else, especially during rush hour.
The architect who came up with this design somehow managed to cut off access to half of the stairs, and we’re guessing most people aren’t into the idea of jumping over the pole so they could use the first half.
Bugs Life
Kids who grew up watching Animal Planet can’t be fooled by this ridiculous package, since they learned the differences between roaches and tarantulas at an early age. Same can’t be said about whoever was in charge of packaging this one.
On the other hand, this is a prank product and what a better way to prank someone than buying them something they’ve never wanted. Final goal is scaring your friends, and we’re pretty sure kids don’t need a fake tarantula to get that done.
Gender Bender
This is one of the mistakes we’ll just let slide, since it’s here to remind us gender is a construct. We’re really hoping this one isn’t a mistake at all, since it could be used to send a powerful message – boys can also like playing with dolls and love the color pink.
Historically speaking, pink hasn’t always been considered a girly color. Baby boys used to rock this shade before World War II. That trend was abandoned after soldiers returned from the battlefield, and a new color took its place.
Great Divide
Exit barriers are often completely useless, especially when they look like this one. Designers probably had a pretty limited budget and decided to save some money by making it five times shorter than it should be.
They could’ve saved even more money by not making it all – since it’s not really doing anything and drivers can easily go around it without validating their parking ticket.
On the other hand, this whole thing might be a social experiment that’s trying to determine how morally bankrupt we truly are.
Mustannaise
It’s pretty easy to tell mustard and mayonnaise apart, but someone who doesn’t care about either can simply say they’re just different shades of yellow and leave it at that.
This was probably the mindset of the worker who put the labels on the wrong containers.
If you’re fan of both condiments and add them to your food at the same time, this mistake won’t hurt you one bit. On the other hand, it’s important to remember that most some people don’t, and some of them might even be allergic to mayo or mustard.
Waste of Space
The expression “west of space” gets a whole new meaning thanks to the carpenter who came up with this ridiculous set up. The only thing that makes less sense than putting two drawers in the corner of a counter is using such enormous handles.
This design only works if you’re looking for a hiding place, since dealing with these drawers must be one of the most frustrating things in the world. One is constantly blocking another and it’s pretty much impossible to fully utilize either of them.
Secret Twins
Teresa Kennedy and Ben Kisila spent their whole life not knowing they secretly have an identical twin… Or someone made a huge mistake while formatting their yearbook.
Mistakes happen when you’re going through hundreds of photos and everyone starts looking the same after a while. Teresa Kennedy must’ve been pretty hurt, disappointed and angry after opening her yearbook, only to learn her photo was nowhere to be found. Let’s hope the yearbook committee made amends by printing her picture twice the next time around.
Hold Right There
Some things in life are pretty hard to hold onto, and this mug from an alternate universe happens to be one of them.
It’s no secret mugs have handless so you wouldn’t burn your hands while drinking an extremely hot beverage, but this one is a pretty odd exception.
We would have let it slide if it was just a mistake that somehow managed to sneak through the factory line, but what was quality control thinking when they spotted it? Maybe they just wanted to pull a prank on all of us, and let it out the way it is.
Good Job
Let’s face it – fortune cookies are pretty tasty, but we only buy them because we’re excited to read the message inside. This company did a noble thing and saved us some time and money by putting the tiny piece of paper outside.
It probably reflected badly on them, and the feeling just isn’t the same for the customers either. There’s just something about cracking your fortune cookie open and fining words of wisdom tucked inside the crispy pastry that can’t be replaced by anything else.
Backwards Mustache
Asking your barber to shave your mustache can be a pretty risky move, especially if you don’t specify which area of your head should be trimmed. That’s why this guy got a mustache on the back of his head, while the front stayed the same.
Most people would fling the mirror away after seeing what they look like, but something tells us this was just a silly prank. He probably wanted to have some fun before shaving off all of his hair.
Sunny Winter
Winter and cold weather usually go hand in hand, and that’s why this “get ready for winter” display seems like a crazy thing to put up in the middle of January. There are a few ways to look at this, since some states get pretty warm winters.
It’s possible that the shoe store in question was located in one of those regions, but that’s not the only option. Maybe they simply wanted to encourage their customers to blow off some steam by going on a tropical vacation.
Honest Mistake
Some manufacturing mistakes are easy to forgive since it’s possible to spot them right away and avoid the mess they would make otherwise. This carton of soup is a case in point.
The unfortunate buyer immediately realized something was off and opened it where it should be opened. Curiosity still got the best of this soup lover and they eventually opened the plastic spout, only to learn there’s nothing underneath. Kudos for trying, but some things should just be left as they are.
The Worst Place
Even when you don’t score a victory in a competition, it’s always nice to finish up second or third… or 3st?
The organizers of this competition probably should probably skip putting suffixes on the medals in the future, since they don’t serve any purpose anyway.
This winner probably didn’t feel that great after realizing their success mattered so little no one even bothered to get their medal right. Fortunately, this isn’t the only medal this person ever won and we’re hoping the rest of them feature the right spelling.
Corny Mistake
Going vegan means you get to eat a lot of tasty vegetables, but some of them aren’t really interchangeable.
Corn and onions fall under that category, but the workers at this factory didn’t seem to care about it one bit.
We would have let this one slide if it was just one bag, but it was probably the whole damn truck!
Let’s hope they didn’t make the same mistake with the delivery and simply used these wrong labeled-bags since it was the only one they had at their disposal.
Beauty Spot
You’ve heard of handicapped spots, now get ready for… hair dryer spot?
We’re guessing this parking lot is located in front of a beauty salon, since it’s the only reasonable explanation behind this strange occurrence… Or is it?
It’s probably just another painting job gone wrong thanks to a worker who couldn’t wait to end their shift and didn’t care about the end result. Why bother fixing it, when everyone already knows it’s a handicapped spot? All the essential elements are there, they’re just not put together correctly.
Surprise Party
Throwing a surprise party often doesn’t go as planned, and this one was ruined before it even started.
This actually looks like a campaign against online shopping, since this incident could’ve easily been avoided if the daughter went to the store and got those party supplies in person.
On the other hand, maybe she ordered something special that can only be bought online. We’re really hoping the mom wasn’t home when the package arrived, since she wouldn’t even have to open it to know what’s inside. Way to ruin a surprise!
Rain Check
This delivery guy took lazy to a new level, and there’s no good enough excuse to do your job this badly.
First of all, if no one was home, he could’ve left the packages on the porch, where they would be safe and sound.
Even if it was sunny all day long, leaving the boxes out in the open like that is pretty risky since someone could’ve snatched them away.
Let’s just hope the items inside weren’t completely ruined, but that’s highly unlikely.
Double Trouble
This chaotic person found its match in the messiest employee to ever work for the American Automobile Association. You should always count on this organization to provide you with roadside assistance when you find yourself in trouble, but that’s not exactly what happened here.
Instead of swooping in and saving the day, this AAA guy made it even worse for this driver who was foolish enough to lock their keys inside their vehicle. Let’s just hope the second AAA guy who showed up to fix the problem didn’t end up locking their key, as well.
Missing Letter
We’d let this one slide if it was any other building, but seeing this catastrophic mistake right before you enter a College of Architecture and Planning is the loudest wake-up call in existence.
Who would even want to study here and be lectured by people who can’t get basic things right?
It’s possible that the architect behind this disaster did it on purpose, and thought they did something trailblazing and revolutionary. It’s not the kind of revolution most people would enjoy, but to each their own.
What Are Those?
It’s sometimes difficult to name all the fruits and veggies you come across in the supermarket since some of them happen to be pretty exotic and rare – but bananas are not amongst them.
They are one of the most common fruits on the market, and we can’t fathom why anyone would have trouble remembering what they’re called. Maybe this Walmart worker simply lost a bet and had to come up with new descriptive names for all the fruits they’re selling. Sounds more plausible than forgetting a word “banana”.
Identity Crisis
Most people agree cats and dogs are polar opposites, but the person who made this frame sees them as one.
All adorable, furry pets are one of the same for this designer, but most people willing to buy this frame probably aren’t as open-minded.
Dog people are very passionate and defensive about their love for puppies, and they wouldn’t find this mistake quirky and cute.
Sure thing, it’s pretty easy to replace the photo since it’s just a place holder, but it shouldn’t have been there in the first place.
Rain Over Me
Everyone living here probably has a pair of rubber boots in their closet, since they can’t go anywhere without them at the slightest sign of rain. The only drain on their street is completely useless, since it’s located exactly where it shouldn’t be.
We’re really hoping this photo was taken in a warm area, where it doesn’t rain very often, but that’s highly unlikely judging by those trees. People probably just avoid this area and take a different path whenever they’re dealing with rainy weather.
Jesus Was Here
There’s a couple of possible explanation for this slip-up, and it’s up for you to decide what really happened here. First is the most obvious one – someone simply made a mistake and put all the wine bottles in the wrong area.
Second – this aisle was arranged by a person with a drinking problem, who genuinely can’t tell the difference between water and wine.
Third – no mistake was actually made, and Jesus was the one who turned all the water into wine while paying a visit to this store.
Reverse Toilet Seat
It would be easy to blame this mishap on the company that’s manufacturing toilet seats, but there’s more than one person at fault here. Whoever bought this seat immediately realized something was off, but they just rolled with it.
Instead of returning the seat to the store and getting a new one, the buyer simply installed it as it is, like there’s nothing wrong with this picture. The only thing that could make this situation even worse would be learning there’s no toilet paper left.
Sawed In Half
Here comes another lady who ended up being sawed in half because someone couldn’t be bothered to do their job right.
We’re not exactly sure why anyone would want these tiles in the first place, but someone did – and they deserve better than this!
This photo doesn’t fully show the tiles on the right, but it seems the workers didn’t do a better job with those either.
This lady definitely doesn’t feel at home in this bathroom, but she would certainly fit in with the ghosts at Hogwarts.
Stack Attack
These workers had one job! And they did the complete opposite by stacking boxes on top of each other.
We would be totally on board with it if they ignored the warning once, but they did it over and over and over again.
Sure thing – it may seem efficient at first, because it saves a lot of space – but at what cost? The warning is there for a reason, and the workers who made this disastrous choice may have to deal with an even bigger mess if the boxes fall over.
Perfect Fit
Let’s face it – no matter how good your shirt looks on you, it looks better on a mannequin… Unless it’s this mannequin. That’s not how you put on a shirt, dammit!
We’re trying really hard to come up with a reasonable explanation for this one, but we’re coming up empty. Leaving the doll naked would make more sense, and we’ve all seen a couple of those in the past. Maybe this worker finished their shift halfway through and didn’t want to stay one minute longer.
Nice Pool
Most people want to have a pool in their yard, but this isn’t exactly what they imagine. A Reddit user shared this photo, saying its dad tried to fill up the pool, but everyone else agreed it looks like he wanted to flood the world instead.
We’d really like to know more about this whole incident, since he doesn’t look freaked out enough after completely ruining his yard.
Maybe this was a part of some diabolical plan all along… Or he simply left the hose unattended and it ended up leaking all over the place.
Pika Who?
Say what you want about this one, but we think it’s so bad it’s good.
At some point you get bored of the same old Pikachu toys and start craving for something a little bit different – and it doesn’t get much better than this!
This little guy looks like Pikachu’s bad boy cousin who’s not scared of trying new things out.
Replacing your ears with your tail is all the rage these days, but it’s not that effective on the battlefield.
Chasing Pavements
This tiling job gone wrong became a laughing stock for the whole internet after someone shared this frustrating photo.
This is one of those photos that have the power to trigger your OCD and the only good thing about it is that we don’t have to witness it in person.
The shades of these bricks look so different that this mistake should’ve never happened, but it did! We’re guessing it will never be fixed since no one even bothered to get it right in the first place.
Paper Towel Power
We’re not exactly sure what the person who designed this bathroom was thinking – or if they were thinking at all. The owners of this establishment apparently couldn’t stand restocking paper towel dispensers and decided to solve the problem by adding five in a single bathroom.
If it was just two or three, we would go with it, but five is a little bit excessive since you never get to see so many at once.
Their customers were probably more bothered by the lack of mirrors, but there wasn’t any room left for one.
Missing Headline
Anyone who’s ever worked as a journalist can actually relate to this one.
Coming up with a good headline is one of the crucial parts of this job, and some writers decide to do it at the very end.
The author of this article did the same, but the time was running out and they didn’t come up with anything before the deadline.
Their editor should’ve fixed it, but they didn’t seem to care – and neither did the guys in charge of printing the newspapers.
Wrong Left
If this list taught us anything, it’s that we should never trust road sings. The painters that are in charge of this job have a terrible sense of direction, and this photo proves it once again.
Words completely contradict the sign on the pavement and it’s pretty much impossible to know which one you should trust. Experienced drivers who aren’t scared of breaking a rule or two will go with their gut, but you might find yourself stuck in front of this sing if you’re still a newbie.
See You Later, Escalator
Some people find escalators pretty scary – and so would we if we ever had to ride on this one.
Most people fear them because they had lost their balance while getting on and off them, but that’s pretty much impossible to avoid with an escalator that looks like this.
We’re guessing the stairs didn’t even move as everyone kept on bumping into the wall when they reached the top. That doesn’t change the fact that this escalator is extremely impractical and needs to be redesigned ASAP.
Easter Santa
Looking for a candy that has all the holidays wrapped into one? We’ve got you covered! You can’t go wrong with this mix of Santa Claus and Easter Bunny since it’s an appropriate present during two different holiday seasons!
All jokes aside, this isn’t even your regular Santa, since there are too many religious undertones. We’re guessing they modeled this candy wrapping after Saint Nicholas, whose habit of secret gift-giving served as inspiration for the traditional model of Santa Claus we know and love today.
