My experience as an engineering manager is limited (I'm less than a year into that role) so I can't speak too broadly but from what I've seen with my own experi

My experience as an engineering manager is limited (I'm less than a year into that role) so I can't speak too broadly but from what I've seen with my own experiments, a team that has autonomy and respect and are treated like humans are not only happier but will eclipse the performance of teams whose "output" is quantified and measured obsessively. My direct reports and I know what they've achieved and their business impact they've had, without having to record some nebulous one-size-fits all number. To your other points, the reality is most of us have to work to live. So why not make that work the least painful it can be? There's a reason why we largely obey laws; it's because prisons suck and we want to avoid them. In a prison you are dehumanised, your autonomy is removed, you become a faceless number, you rarely leave your cell, your routine is controlled and you're monitored relentlessly. It's not a great life and I would hate to inflict that on anyone.