I accepted the offer in early 2021, despite the salary being lower than I wanted. But I figured if I worked hard and showed them my value, then it would be reflected in the annual merit increase. Flash forward 10 months later, I am given a great evaluation from my boss and the head of the department, with them noting various accomplishments I achieved and my contributions. They then tell me that my raise, which is less than 2%, and it immediately killed any positive vibes I had.
I started looking for a new job right away and found something a few weeks later. I received the offer and then informed my boss that I was leaving. He asked why, which of course I pointed out the paltry raise, and he asked what it would take for me to stay. I gave him a number and a request to work remotely more often since we're all expecting to return to the office soon. He became annoyed because my asking price (11%) was pretty high, but it was still lower than the offer I received. I told him I would take a discount since I like the company and team but he did seem frustrated with my demands of more remote time and higher salary expectations.
Although he tried to keep it professional, I can see that my demands really irked him. At this point I don't feel like staying would benefit my future since he may now view me as the guy who threatened to quit unless I got my way. My boss, the head of the department, and I are scheduled to meet this upcoming week to see if an arrangement can be worked out to keep me. But at this point, would there be any purpose? I feel pretty insulted that they even gave me such a low raise in the first place.