"Absolutely standard" for the financial industry, which is the context for this story. It's an industry well known for having a large part of compensation paid as a performance-based bonus.

For software developers (especially in SV) bonuses can be quite a big chunk of their "paycheck".

I would hope that many (if not most) white-collar workers are getting some kind of profit sharing bonus, Christmas bonus, employee of the month, or some kind of incentive for a job well done beyond the bare minimum performance your salary is meant to represent. Certainly every office job I've ever had I've gotten periodic bonuses for doing a good job, and I've also not received bonuses in times when I did not do a good job.

You would hope in vain then.

It's standard for companies that pay large bonuses (as a percentage of salary). That's the whole point. It's a carrot they dangle in front of you that you get to break off the string once a year.

A bonus that is designed to reward individual performance/behavior is the ideal place to cut when individual performance/behavior suffers.

I'd assume most tech workers. Most that i'm personally aware of 'bonus' have an individual performance multiplier attached. Can get <Standard> * 2 or <standard> * .5 depending how well you (and/or the company) performed that year.

Even for tech workers I'm not sure I'd describe it as standard; maybe it's different in different markets or particular fields.

Haven't had one for the last 5 years.

The job I'm starting in next month has though.

Here in Norway bonuses doesn't seem to be considered mandatory.

If it's mandatory, then it's not a bonus. It's just salary.

Poor wording from my side I guess. I mean it seems like some companies has to offer bonuses to attract talent while only very successful companies or companies that sometimes compete for top talent offer it for engineers here.

Nearly every profession in the United States. CPAs, law firms, architects, etc.

I can't speak for the trades as I have no experience their but I imagine licensed plumbers and electricians that work for large companies get bonuses as well.