WE SELDOM HEAR MANAGERS ARGUE ABOUT THE POWER OF USING EMPLOYEE INVOLVEMENT (EI) TO MAKE ASSEMBLY AREA IMPROVEMENTS. JAPANESE AND FORWARD-THINKING AMERICAN COMPANIES HAVE MADE US ALL BELIEVERS IN THE POTENTIAL FOR EI TO PRODUCE HUGE COMPETITIVE GAINS IN PRODUCTIVITY AND DELIVERY TIMES. WHEN COMPANIES TRY TO CHANGE THE OLD ASSEMBLY PRACTICES USING AN EI APPROACH FOR THE FIRST TIME, HOWEVER, MANY ARE SURPRISED TO FIND HOW DIFFICULT IT IS. EMPLOYEES BECOME CONFUSED, ANGRY, AND ANXIOUS. THE SIMPLEST CHANGE BECOMES A MAJOR CRISIS. THIS PAPER DETAILS AN IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS THAT SEVERAL WELL-KNOWN COMPANIES HAVE USED TO OVERCOME THEIR EMPLOYEES' RESISTANCE TO CHANGE.