Answer by John L. Miller, former recruiter at Microsoft, on Quora. The best things to help prevent burnout when the symptoms first show up are: 1. Acknowledge the burnout. This will usually be by the employee’s direct manager. Make sure the employee feels valued and understood. 2. Incent for the long term. Let the employee know their future at the company is longer than the current project and situation, and they are valued for the long term, not just the current project.