ABSTRACT Previous research demonstrates that high‐involvement work practices (HIWPs) may be associated with burnout (emotional exhaustion and depersonalization); however, to date, the process through which HIWPs influence burnout is not clear. This article examined the impact of HIWPs on long‐term burnout (emotional exhaustion and depersonalization) by considering the mediating role of person‐organization fit (P‐O fit) in this relationship. The study used a time‐lagged design and was conducted in a Canadian general hospital among health care personnel. Findings from structural equation modeling (N = 185) revealed that perceived HIWPs were positively associated with P‐O fit. There was no direct effect of HIWPs on burnout; rather, P‐O fit fully mediated the relationship between employee perceptions of HIWPs and burnout. This study fills a void in the HR and burnout literature by demonstrating the role that P‐O fit has in explaining how HIWPs alleviate emotional exhaustion and depersonalization. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.