engineers rarely know how to present their job in terms of monetary benefit
The point is, they shouldn't have to. The managers should be handling that fairly. Otherwise, it's an adversarial game where only one team knows how to play.
Engineers should be experts in engineering. Holding them at a disadvantage because they are not good at the other feels wrong.
but even in such a scenario how a manager would know how to assign merit? they aren't expert in engineering either.
someone in between has to connect the dots, but there is no such figure and the incentives for doing that communication work are all on the engineers' side
addendum: I do however agree it sucks to have to compete with other fellows
The point is, they shouldn't have to. The managers should be handling that fairly. Otherwise, it's an adversarial game where only one team knows how to play.
Engineers should be experts in engineering. Holding them at a disadvantage because they are not good at the other feels wrong.