If your inflation is higher than your pay raise you are loosing money. The talk about why you should have xy% pay increase what are you doing more for company is BS. Are groceries xy% more nutritious than year before or do you get more of them for the increased price? Just think yourself as a company. If your inputs (eq food, things that you regularly buy) are more expensive then you should charge more for your output (your price for time at work). Also forced return to office which will require relocation to more expensive areas and gas bills for some is another expense on top of that. I'm fortunate enough that I can change my jobs fairly easily and most likely I'll do it in comming weeks.
@3fqy+1ly0AnTA offers a perfect explanation why anything that is below or even the same as inflation is a loss instead of a raise. I really hope more people read this.