Yes, our company considered inflation every year (not just the years where the media talked about it). Ultimately, it was the role of those accountable for the

Yes, our company considered inflation every year (not just the years where the media talked about it). Ultimately, it was the role of those accountable for the budget to make the claim. It all started with the budget cycle and budget increases in a division would be scrutinized. Actual or projected inflation, along with actual or projected growth and other things could all be argued and as budget rolled up to the executive committees, we would generate consensus bands for what the next year looked like. The budget cycle preceded the merit increase cycle by a full quarter, but the budget cycle is what generated the guidance we needed. The money to pay employee comes from budgets not from comp review. If your company isn't considering inflation they either don't have a proper budget process to gather the info or the accountable individual isn't doing their job to consider it. It is also possible your division was not given the money to give raises or your director blew the money on growing the team wide in head count rather than tall with raises. At the level the budgets are made, they dont care if your division has 10 well paid people or 100 poorly paid people - your division is given $X to complete Y work packages, the executives don't give a shit how the director achieves it as long as it gets done.