Nearly half of companies are turning to poor ‘peanut butter’ raises—it follows the same pattern of the 2008 recession, an expert says. And it could take years to recover.

Workers eagerly awaiting big pay hikes after their stellar performance reviews are in for a rude awakening; Instead of rewarding employees based on merit, many bosses will be dishing out flat and low “peanut butter” raises spread to all staffers in 2026. And worryingly, it’s a trend that last emerged during a perilous economic time in history. 

“It’s a term that’s gone quite viral at the moment, but it’s not a new phenomenon,” Ruth Thomas, chief compensation strategist at Payscale, tells Fortune.