back-away
Explanation
The Joke
A panicked boss stands over an employee who is slumped motionless on his desk, exclaiming: "Ohmygod. Ohmygod. He's not breathing. Back away. Back to your office." The employee has an "#1 Boss" mug on his desk. The caption reads: "Taking inspiration from nature, Steve avoids new tasks by playing dead."
The Humor
The comic draws a parallel between workplace avoidance behavior and the survival strategy some animals use — playing dead (thanatopsis) to avoid predators. Here, the "predator" is the boss trying to assign new work, and Steve's defense mechanism is to go completely limp and unresponsive at his desk.
The humor lies in the absurdity of this actually working in an office setting. The boss's reaction — panicking and telling people to back away — shows that the ruse is entirely successful. Rather than suspecting Steve is faking it, the boss takes it at face value and retreats. The "#1 Boss" mug adds an ironic touch, as this supposedly great boss is completely fooled. The joke also resonates with anyone who has ever wished they could simply disappear when new assignments are being handed out.