Dirty Consultant: Part 3 - When Algorithms Replace Empathy

At Orchan, we’ve seen consulting at its best - and at its glossiest. Dirty Consultant is our no-nonsense series calling out the theatre, the buzzwords, and the shiny distractions that get in the way of real change. Because true consulting isn’t about polished decks or clever algorithms - it’s about rolling up sleeves, getting into the grit, and facing the messy human reality head-on.

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Data is sexy.
Dashboards glow.
Algorithms hum.

Today’s consultants sell you the dream: “real-time insights” into how your people feel.
Red dots for disengaged.
Green dots for high performers.
Charts that promise to decode human behaviour.

But here’s the problem.
People aren’t data points.
They’re messy. Irrational. Emotional.
And no algorithm in the world can tell you what it feels like to drag yourself into a night shift after a 90-minute commute.

Numbers tell you what.
But only people tell you why.

When consultants replace empathy with algorithms, they miss the heartbeat of the organisation.
They treat culture like code.
And then wonder why their “solutions” don’t stick.

At Orchan, we believe in listening before we prescribe.
We believe in messy conversations, not tidy dashboards.
We believe empathy is the real tech every consultant should master.

So ask yourself:
Do you want consultants who read data?
Or consultants who read the room?

At Orchan, we choose empathy every time.

Want to put the human back in your data? changenow@orchan.asia. Or call us: +603-7972 6377

Let’s talk.