The Office: 10 Most Relatable Quotes About The Workplace

The Office is still one of the most loved and talked about comedy television series ever. There are so many hilarious moments from this series and hilarious lines that fans still love to talk about. One thing that makes this series so funny is how it captures some of the frustrations of working at an office job.

While Dunder Mifflin might be way more ridiculous than a real-life office, there are definitely moments that are relatable to anyone who works a 9-5 job at an office. Here are the ten most relatable quotes about the workplace from the series.

10 “IF THIS WERE MY CAREER, I’D HAVE TO THROW MYSELF IN FRONT OF A TRAIN.”

When audiences first meet Jim, it’s clear that he doesn’t exactly love his job. This quote is part of a longer line he says to the interview crew about his job. He says that his job as a salesman is just a job and that he can’t imagine it being his career.

For anyone who has ever had a job they hate or worked in an environment that’s toxic, this quote is definitely relatable. Sometimes we all just have to do what we must to make ends meet.

9 “THE PEOPLE THAT YOU WORK WITH ARE, WHEN YOU GET DOWN TO IT, YOUR VERY BEST FRIENDS.”

Throughout most of the series, Michael is insistent that his employees are actually his family and that the workplace is where you make a family. Of course, that idea of things is just ridiculous and untrue. So, when he ends up leaving Dunder Mifflin to move to Colorado with Holly, he says this instead.

While not everyone meets their best friends at their job, many people do make friends with those they work with, and some of these friendships can last a long time.

8 “THE MOST SACRED THING I DO IS CARE AND PROVIDE FOR MY WORKERS. I GIVE THEM FOOD. NOT DIRECTLY…”

Micahel often has quite a strange view of his role as the Regional Manager of the Scranton branch. He sees himself as some kind of father figure that takes care of his employees, and this quote is an example of that.

This is relatable for those people who have bosses who overstep their bounds or think they are doing something saintly for their employees. But, hopefully, most people don’t have to deal with a boss who is as clueless as Michael Scott.

7 “I DON’T WANT TO WORK. I JUST WANT TO BANG ON THIS MUG ALL DAY.”

While Micahel might see his job as the most important thing in his life and consider the people he works with his family, he also isn’t that dedicated about actually doing work. When he spends most of his day wasting time and not getting anything done, it’s definitely relatable.

There are times when all of us just aren’t in the mood to work and trying to be productive is really difficult. We all have those days where we just want to goof off.

6 “NO, I WOULDN’T SAY I HAVE A PASSION FOR HR.”

Toby is the character from The Office who gets treated the worst by everyone around him. It’s definitely not fair how the other employees treat him, but, at the same time, he’s not a very good HR rep.

So, when he explains that he took the job in order to marry a girl he was in love with instead of becoming a priest, it’s clear that the job was not what he wanted to do. Many of us can relate to being in a career we don’t have a passion for.

5 “I KNEW EXACTLY WHAT TO DO. BUT, IN A MUCH MORE REAL SENSE, I HAD NO IDEA WHAT TO DO.”

No matter what your job is, there are times where you can feel like you’re just treading water. Maybe you’re dealing with a difficult manager or a hard to please client.

This quote that Michael says about having no idea what’s going on, even if you’re trying to fake confidence, is definitely one of the most relatable quotes about working from the series. Sometimes, you do just have to fake it until you make it.

4 “I AM DEAD INSIDE.”

Some weeks at work are just really difficult. Even if you love your job, there are some days or weeks where going to work all day is hard.

And, if you have a job that is toxic or you don’t like what you’re doing, going to work every day can feel like it’s slowly draining you. So, this quote from Michael definitely captures that feeling of being at a job you date.

3 “I AM RUNNING AWAY FROM MY RESPONSIBILITIES, AND IT FEELS GOOD.”

Michael might be the manager of the branch, but he’s definitely not the hardest working employee by far. He often shirks his responsibilities, and his employees have to work extra hard to get work done because of all of his antics.

So, when he runs away, sort of, and sits on a train after finding out he’s low on money, it’s pretty par for the course. Plus, there are some days at work where we all want to shirk your responsibilities.

2 “BUSINESS IS A DOGGIE DOG WORLD.”

This is one of the few quotes from The Office that is directly about the business world, and it’s also another one of Michael’s weird attempts to say a common phrase. He often completely botches common phrases to hilarious effect.

While he clearly doesn’t know what he’s saying here or what the phrase is supposed to mean, he’s proud of himself for saying it anyway.

1 “IF THERE WERE SOMEWHERE ELSE THAT VALUED LOYALTY MORE HIGHLY, I’M GOING WHEREVER THEY VALUE LOYALTY THE MOST.”

Of all of the employees at the Scranton branch, Dwight is the one who is most committed to his job. He wants the manager job really badly throughout the series, and he also is really committed to his job. He might be eccentric, but he does care.

But, when he realizes that his loyalty and hard work isn’t necessarily being appreciated or paying off, he understandably figures he will go where he’s most appreciated, and this is definitely a feeling all people with a job should follow.

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