--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The purpose of work is to make the worker…" description: "\"The purpose of work is to make the worker - whether a working stiff or a CEO - feel good about life.\" — Ricardo Semler" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd5/ricardo-semler-18039_about_the-purpose-of-work-is-to-make-the-worke_2566397.png" --- # The purpose of work is to make the worker - whether a… ![“The purpose of work is to make the worker - whether a working stiff or a CEO - feel good about life.” quote by Ricardo Semler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd5/ricardo-semler-18039_about_the-purpose-of-work-is-to-make-the-worke_2566397.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd5/ricardo-semler-18039_about_the-purpose-of-work-is-to-make-the-worke_2566397.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd5/ricardo-semler-18039_about_the-purpose-of-work-is-to-make-the-worke_2566397.png) > “The purpose of work is to make the worker - whether a working stiff or a CEO - feel good about life.” [Ricardo Semler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricardo-semler/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Work should enrich the worker’s life, regardless of rank, fostering overall well‑being. **In simple terms:** Work should make life better. Key Takeaway Design work that supports personal fulfillment. Themes work well‑being purpose leadership Mood inspirational pragmatic Type business philosophical When to use this quote - career planning - team building - leadership training - life balance Key Concepts human‑centered management organizational culture Questions to Reflect On - How can leaders measure employee happiness? - What policies best support purpose at work? A Different Perspective Implementing this can be costly for some firms. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [About](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about/) [Ceo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ceo/) [Ceo Feel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ceo-feel-1652319/) [Feel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feel/) [Feel good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feel-good/) [Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Make](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make/) [Purpose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose/) [Purpose Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose-work-284772/) [Stiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stiff/) [Whether](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whether/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) [Worker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worker/) [Working](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/working/) [Working Stiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/working-stiff-1253587/) ## Related quotes > [“The Muse honors the working stiff.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/the-muse-honors-the-working-stiff/) [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) > [I'm a working stiff. I just happened to be around at the right time, and nobody else wanted the job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-bridges/i-m-a-working-stiff-i-just-happened-to-be-around-at-the-right-time/) [Harry Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-bridges/) > [I'm a working stiff, baby, just like everybody else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-o-toole/i-m-a-working-stiff-baby-just-like-everybody-else/) [Peter O'Toole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-o-toole/) > [I've played dinner theaters. I'm a working stiff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-west/i-ve-played-dinner-theaters-i-m-a-working-stiff/) [Adam West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-west/) > [The purpose of work is not to make money. The purpose of work is to make the workers, whether working stiffs or top executives,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricardo-semler/the-purpose-of-work-is-not-to-make-money-the-purpose-of-work-is-to/) [Ricardo Semler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricardo-semler/) > [Some CEO's feel like if the 'opt out of social' they are somehow protected. That is just crazy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandy-carter/some-ceo-s-feel-like-if-the-opt-out-of-social-they-are-somehow/) [Sandy Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandy-carter/) > [It's important for a CEO to feel lucky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-kelman/it-s-important-for-a-ceo-to-feel-lucky/) [Glenn Kelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-kelman/) > [Because being CEO can feel lonely, I journal religiously as a way to express my thoughts, feelings and aspirations. Looking back at earlier entries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rana-el-kaliouby/because-being-ceo-can-feel-lonely-i-journal-religiously-as-a-way-to/) [Rana el Kaliouby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rana-el-kaliouby/) > [The purpose of work is to give people a chance to utilize and develop their faculties; to enable them to overcome their ego-centeredness by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-f-schumacher/the-purpose-of-work-is-to-give-people-a-chance-to-utilize-and-develop/) [E. F. Schumacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-f-schumacher/) > [“The purpose of work is to labor and invest time in your gift”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/the-purpose-of-work-is-to-labor-and-invest-time-in-your-gift/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [We must always bear in mind that the primary purpose of our work, is not to get persons to join the church or to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-torrey/we-must-always-bear-in-mind-that-the-primary-purpose-of-our-work-is/) [R. A. Torrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-torrey/) > [Work may be your dominant thought, and joy an afterthought. But joy is your true purpose, and work the afterthought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cohen/work-may-be-your-dominant-thought-and-joy-an-afterthought-but-joy-is/) [Alan Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cohen/) > [No matter what our job is, we view it not as our purpose in life but rather as where God has sovereignly placed us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-chandler/no-matter-what-our-job-is-we-view-it-not-as-our-purpose-in-life-but/) [Matt Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-chandler/) > [“it’s work with a purpose, work with meaning, work that constantly reminds you that you’re living the life you’ve dreamed of.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-huling/it-s-work-with-a-purpose-work-with-meaning-work-that-constantly/) [Jim Huling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-huling/) > [The purpose of the whole (work) is to remove those who are living in this life from a state of wretchedness and lead them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-alighieri/the-purpose-of-the-whole-work-is-to-remove-those-who-are-living-in/) [Dante Alighieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-alighieri/) ## More by Ricardo Semler > [Human nature demands recognition. Without it, people lose their sense of purpose and become dissatisfied, restless, and unproductive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricardo-semler/human-nature-demands-recognition-without-it-people-lose-their-sense/) [Ricardo Semler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricardo-semler/) > [The purpose of work is not to make money. The purpose of work is to make the workers, whether working stiffs or top executives,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricardo-semler/the-purpose-of-work-is-not-to-make-money-the-purpose-of-work-is-to/) [Ricardo Semler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricardo-semler/) > [There is no contest between the company that buys the grudging compliance of its work force and the company that enjoys the enterprising participation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricardo-semler/there-is-no-contest-between-the-company-that-buys-the-grudging/) [Ricardo Semler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricardo-semler/) > [One of the things that is very silly - and I hear from educators all the time - is that schools essentially teach kids…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricardo-semler/one-of-the-things-that-is-very-silly-and-i-hear-from-educators-all/) [Ricardo Semler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricardo-semler/) > [It is not socialist, as some of our critics contend. It isn't purely capitalist, either. It is a new way. A third way. A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricardo-semler/it-is-not-socialist-as-some-of-our-critics-contend-it-isn-t-purely/) [Ricardo Semler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricardo-semler/) > [Only two things grow for the sake of growth: businesses and tumors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricardo-semler/only-two-things-grow-for-the-sake-of-growth-businesses-and-tumors/) [Ricardo Semler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricardo-semler/) > [If you look at any kind of modern organization and you think, 'What are the foremost tools of power?' You will find that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricardo-semler/if-you-look-at-any-kind-of-modern-organization-and-you-think-what-are/) [Ricardo Semler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricardo-semler/) > [For a company to excel, employees must be reassured that self-interest, not the company's, is their foremost priority. We believe an employee who puts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricardo-semler/for-a-company-to-excel-employees-must-be-reassured-that-self-interest/) [Ricardo Semler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricardo-semler/) > [Growth and profit are a product of how people work together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricardo-semler/growth-and-profit-are-a-product-of-how-people-work-together/) [Ricardo Semler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricardo-semler/) > [People are responsible adults at home. Why do we suddenly transform them into adolescents with no freedom when they reach the workplace?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricardo-semler/people-are-responsible-adults-at-home-why-do-we-suddenly-transform/) [Ricardo Semler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricardo-semler/) > [Forget socialism, capitalism, just-in-time deliveries, salary surveys, and the rest ... concentrate on building organizations that accomplish that most difficult of all challenges: to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricardo-semler/forget-socialism-capitalism-just-in-time-deliveries-salary-surveys/) [Ricardo Semler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricardo-semler/) > [The era of using people as production tools is coming to an end. Participation is infinitely more complex to practice than conventional corporate unilateralism,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricardo-semler/the-era-of-using-people-as-production-tools-is-coming-to-an-end/) [Ricardo Semler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricardo-semler/) > [The key to getting work done on time is to stop wearing a watch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricardo-semler/the-key-to-getting-work-done-on-time-is-to-stop-wearing-a-watch/) [Ricardo Semler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricardo-semler/) > [Large, centralized organizations foster alienation like stagnant ponds breed algae.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricardo-semler/large-centralized-organizations-foster-alienation-like-stagnant-ponds/) [Ricardo Semler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricardo-semler/) > [In life, we do not give employees enough leeway. If you look around Semco's office, there are plenty of empty desks. The question is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricardo-semler/in-life-we-do-not-give-employees-enough-leeway-if-you-look-around/) [Ricardo Semler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricardo-semler/) [Explore all 33 Ricardo Semler quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricardo-semler/) ## More About quotes > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. 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That means I write about guys - so far. I'm interested in the people closest to them, the people they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-write-about-presidents-that-means-i-write-about-guys-so-far-i-m/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [That's something a lot of folks don't know about me - I'm pretty darn funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/that-s-something-a-lot-of-folks-don-t-know-about-me-i-m-pretty-darn/) [Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/) > [I learned a lot about myself at Oakmont.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-lowry/i-learned-a-lot-about-myself-at-oakmont/) [Shane Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-lowry/) > [I don't think about the press or the crowds or the other leaders of the race. The focus is only on myself. As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/) [Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/) > [Sport is not just about entertainment. It is equally about winning and losing, pooling and galvanising the energy of the youth, upgrading people's physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-ambani/sport-is-not-just-about-entertainment-it-is-equally-about-winning-and/) [Nita Ambani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-ambani/) > [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/) [Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/) > [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' 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