I'm a contractor. I've worked at 11 different companies since 2010. Here is what I have observed: Engineers are happier when their managers are also skilled engineers. Of the companies that I've worked at, only 3 operated this way. The 3 that "got it right" were small to mid-size companies (and they all got acquired a year or two after I started).
Imagine if 70% of all foremen on construction sites were accountants by trade that don't even own or use a screw driver or a hammer in their personal life. That's pretty much the situation at most places where they use software to support their business, but their business is "not software". This is of course the perspective of a non-engineer, as an engineer would be quick to point out that their business is increasingly dependent on the software; How exactly will you make money when your website is down and your infrastructure is failing?
Imagine if 70% of all foremen on construction sites were accountants by trade that don't even own or use a screw driver or a hammer in their personal life. That's pretty much the situation at most places where they use software to support their business, but their business is "not software". This is of course the perspective of a non-engineer, as an engineer would be quick to point out that their business is increasingly dependent on the software; How exactly will you make money when your website is down and your infrastructure is failing?