How Do DevOps Engineers Connect with Business Goals?

Hi everyone,

I’m an engineering manager overseeing both application and DevOps teams. I’ve noticed that while my application engineers often align their work with business objectives—like feature delivery, customer impact, or revenue growth—my DevOps engineers seem more focused on infrastructure reliability, performance, and cost optimization.

These are, of course, critical goals, and I deeply value their expertise. But I sometimes wonder: do DevOps engineers generally feel connected to the bigger picture of business outcomes? Or do they see their role as primarily technical, serving as enablers for others to achieve those outcomes?

More importantly, how can I, as a manager, better bridge this gap? Are there ways you’ve seen DevOps teams become more engaged with business goals without feeling like they’re being pulled away from their core responsibilities?

I’m genuinely curious and looking for insights to foster a stronger sense of purpose and alignment across my teams.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts and perspectives!