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Torch

Top 17 Group Coaching and Learning Options for Remote Employees

By TorchSources reviewed Published 10 min read
In this article

When selecting remote group coaching, first determine who should participate together and when they can meet before choosing a platform. A remote specialist might work all day with clients but know nobody beyond their delivery team. A remote manager could have many direct reports yet lack a trusted peer. These different needs require distinct cohort designs.

Remote coaching introduces three key design considerations: handling time zones and languages, managing video participation, and maintaining confidentiality for recordings and shared workspaces. Most providers listed below describe virtual delivery. Where they do not specify it, the table indicates what needs verification.

The group coaching guide covers the general purchasing process, while the comparison hub addresses the broader market context.

Key takeaways

  • Torch is a leadership coaching and alignment platform that connects distributed colleagues through coach-led cohorts focused on common workplace challenges, with the audience and schedule customized for each engagement.
  • CoachHub Collective, BTS / Sounding Board Leadership Labs, Coachello and Action Learning Associates all offer virtual peer formats designed for various audiences.
  • Boon GROW, New Level Work, PILOT and The Catch Group serve specific groups including managers, emerging leaders or senior women, though their offerings won’t necessarily suit every employee.
  • BetterUp’s Dare to Lead, Growthspace and Hone begin with curriculum, skills development or live classes, while CoachingOurselves provides materials for groups that you organize yourself.
  • Recordings cannot substitute for active participation in a confidential group setting, so address attendance issues through thoughtful scheduling rather than relying on recordings.

Decide the audience and the calendar together

Determine who needs better connection and what the group should help them accomplish, then test their availability. For instance, a design for 16 nominees across Lisbon, Toronto and Singapore might use two cohorts of eight: one with Lisbon and Toronto meeting in late-morning Toronto time (mid-afternoon in Lisbon), and another with Lisbon and Singapore in early-morning Lisbon time (late-afternoon in Singapore). Assign each person to one cohort, check daylight-saving changes across the full series, and protect workable local times in calendars. These are illustrative windows, not confirmed provider availability. For absences, one arrangement to discuss with the provider might be a brief coach catch-up and a group-approved summary rather than a recording. If one region consistently forms the minority, consider creating a separate cohort or reducing the pilot’s scope.

Opt for a coached cohort when you need to build connection through real case discussions, a skill program where relationships already exist but capabilities are lacking, or team coaching when addressing a distributed team’s specific coordination challenges.

1. Torch

Torch group coaching creates coach-led cohorts of distributed colleagues focused on specific challenges, like asking for help early or managing remote disagreements. Participants build relationships through collaborative work rather than vague networking instructions.

A continuing, coach-led group.

  • Cohorts of six to nine people meet regularly over three to six months.
  • Organizations can choose or customize topics such as New Manager Essentials, Effective Communication, and Navigating Identity & Influence.
  • All facilitators hold ICF credentials and have at least five years of coaching experience.

A design matched to the distributed population.

  • Groups can include participants from various roles, functions, and identities rather than being limited by location. Torch works with organizations to design the audience, meeting times, and participation rules rather than offering a one-size-fits-all package.
  • The program focuses on participants’ actual cases and organizational priorities, with company coaching goals accessible to coaches. This approach can support organizational alignment across distributed teams.
  • Spark, Torch’s AI tool, helps participants practice reflection and rehearse conversations on their own schedules between sessions. One-on-one coaching is available for more personal matters.

Sounding Board Leadership Labs and Coachello also deliver virtual coached groups. Torch is a fit when you want a six-to-nine-person cohort around an employer-defined challenge, with optional individual coaching and Spark practice between meetings. Finalize details including audience, timing, language support, allocation of individual coaching sessions, and reporting requirements. Sponsors receive aggregated data on session engagement, peer feedback, and participant reflections—without access to private discussions.

2. Reboot

Reboot’s team experiences include facilitated leadership groups, while its peer-circle guide helps organizations create their own groups. This option may appeal to distributed leaders seeking a confidential space to think rather than additional training content. Determine whether members are internal colleagues or from a broader community; only internal groups build relationships within your organization. Verify remote delivery capabilities and membership continuity for your specific engagement.

3. CoachHub

CoachHub Collective provides structured peer co-development through a defined process of presenting challenges, seeking clarification, sharing observations, and choosing actions. This approach can help remote participants who might otherwise expect a traditional lecture format. For groups across different countries, confirm that the same peers can attend every session. Check for accommodations for non-native speakers and those needing extra reflection time, along with available regional delivery schedules.

4. BTS / Sounding Board

Sounding Board Leadership Labs, part of BTS, provide virtual group coaching for leaders. It fits distributed managers seeking peers outside reporting lines rather than every remote employee. Compose groups by career stage as well as geography. Review how airtime is shared so an early confident speaker does not determine the discussion, and scope Labs separately from BTS consulting.

5. Boon

Boon GROW gives new and rising managers six months of individual coaching, with optional peer group coaching. Remote managers can compare approaches to people decisions they rarely observe peers making. This is a manager offering rather than an all-employee program. Include the peer-group component explicitly, then ask about its schedule, what happens when participants change roles, and the management experience represented in each group.

6. Growthspace

Growthspace delivers expert-led group development sessions centered on common skills like concise stakeholder communication. This program functions as a structured learning path rather than a peer connection network. When considering this option, evaluate whether participants working in shared spaces can comfortably practice sensitive discussions aloud, and confirm that the group maintains stable membership to build important relationships over time.

7. BetterUp

BetterUp’s Dare to Lead learning experience pairs Brené Brown’s leadership curriculum with facilitated peer group discussions. Individual coaching depends on the employer’s selected package. This approach can maintain continuity between sessions for participants who don’t collaborate daily, as long as the preparation requirements remain reasonable. Determine how the program addresses urgent issues that arise outside planned topics, and verify both eligibility criteria and configuration options.

8. AceUp

AceUp creates coaching groups centered on specific leadership competencies. By focusing on shared topics like recognizing when employees need support, these groups can unite dispersed colleagues without requiring personal disclosure. When evaluating, check for provisions to include quieter members and those speaking second languages, and confirm the remote format, supporting materials, and peer continuity arrangements.

9. Sharpist

Sharpist incorporates group and peer coaching as part of its digital development offering. This may be particularly suitable for remote leaders who are already receiving individual coaching through Sharpist. Investigate how their time-zone grouping approach prevents any region from consistently having sessions outside normal working hours, and verify exactly which group services are included with your purchase.

10. Coachello

Coachello provides virtual facilitated sessions for both groups and teams. Distinguish whether participants are peers from different teams or members of the same intact team, as their ability to make shared commitments varies significantly. Ask how facilitators manage silence, interruptions, and participation from shared physical spaces, and confirm both the group size and the duration of the session series.

11. New Level Work

New Level Work offers facilitated group coaching for managers and leaders as part of a broader learning program. This can provide remote managers with a dedicated space to discuss the human dimensions of their work. Verify the remote delivery methods, schedule, membership stability, and how the coaching elements integrate with other training components in their program.

12. Action Learning Associates

Action Learning Associates specializes in virtual action learning, where a group member presents a current challenge, peers ask questions, and the member takes action before the next session. This method builds deeper understanding over time and consequently relies heavily on consistent attendance. Explore how their facilitators guide participants away from giving quick advice toward asking thoughtful questions, and how they handle absences from sessions.

13. Circl

Circl combines group learning with matched coaching practice between professionals and Future Leaders from different backgrounds. It develops coaching skills and relationships across experiences rather than bringing an existing remote team together. Choose it for that purpose, and check the current schedule, delivery format and support for matches.

14. Hone

Hone offers live learning alongside individual and group coaching for distributed leaders. A class introduces a concept and practice; an ongoing coaching group returns to what participants tried afterward. Verify whether peers and coaches remain the same. A live-learning subscription does not automatically include a continuing cohort.

15. PILOT

PILOT is a virtual emerging-leader program that includes group coaching. It can suit remote employees taking on initial leadership responsibilities rather than an unrestricted employee population. Clarify group formation, work between sessions and how manager feedback stays separate from private group discussions.

16. The Catch Group

The Catch Group creates virtual groups specifically for women at director level and above, focusing on boundaries, values and career direction. Confirm current enrollment criteria and timing, and establish clear expectations about protecting company information when participants come from different employers.

17. CoachingOurselves

CoachingOurselves provides structured management topics for peer learning sessions that employers can organize themselves. Managers might meet regularly via video to discuss topics and commit to actions. This internally facilitated format does not require a professional coach at every session. Start with a small pilot group and establish protocols for handling sensitive interpersonal conflicts.

Compare the 17 options

ProviderOfferDesigned forDeliveryWorth checking
TorchCoach-led peer cohortsDistributed colleagues sharing a challenge6 to 9 people, 3 to 6 monthsMeeting windows and population
RebootFacilitated leadership groups; peer-circle guideLeaders wanting reflective conversationConfirm remote facilitationContinuing group availability and membership
CoachHubCoachHub CollectivePeers suited to a structured methodVirtual co-development sessionsLanguage support and delivery windows
BTS / Sounding BoardLeadership LabsDistributed managers and leadersVirtual coached groupsCareer-stage grouping
BoonBoon GROWNew and rising managersIndividual coaching; optional peer groupsGroup inclusion, schedule and continuity
GrowthspaceExpert-led group skill developmentColleagues sharing a skill needExpert-led groupsPractice logistics
BetterUpDare to Lead learning experiencePopulations wanting one vocabularyLearning content plus facilitated groupsRoom for real cases
AceUpCompetency-based group coachingDispersed managers with a shared topicPlatform groups; confirm remote planSame peers over time
SharpistGroup and peer coachingLeaders already in Sharpist coachingDigital platformTime-zone grouping
CoachelloVirtual group and team sessionsRemote peers or intact teamsVirtual facilitated sessionsPeer group versus team
New Level WorkFacilitated manager groupsRemote managers in a learning planConfirm remote format and scheduleFixed membership
Action Learning AssociatesVirtual action learningEmployees with live challengesVirtual facilitated setsAttendance commitment
CirclGroup learning plus matched coachingProfessionals and Future LeadersConfirm current formatFit with the developmental aim
HoneLive learning plus coachingDistributed leadersLive classes and coachingClass versus continuing group
PILOTVirtual emerging-leader programRemote emerging leadersVirtual cohort with group coachingManager role and schedule
The Catch GroupVirtual group coachingWomen at director level and aboveVirtual external cohortsEnrollment window and confidentiality
CoachingOurselvesStructured peer-learning discussionsManagers with an internal convenerBuyer-convened video meetingsWho convenes and escalates

Make participation possible before you invite anyone

  • Map availability first. Identify available time slots, language requirements, and local working-hour constraints before forming any groups. If fair scheduling proves impossible, consider restructuring or reducing the pilot program.
  • Set attendance arrangements. Clearly explain the commitment required, how to notify about absences, and what summaries are permitted afterward. Establish recording rules rather than assuming every session will be saved.
  • Ask useful pilot questions. Before starting, determine where participants currently seek perspective on difficult work situations. Afterward, ask for an example of a useful conversation and whether they now know someone they could approach for help. Keep responses voluntary and proportionate.
  • Interpret attendance before development. Evaluate whether regular participation was feasible for employees. Poor results might indicate scheduling issues rather than problems with the coaching model; high attendance alone doesn’t prove stronger connections.
  • Compare complete costs. Calculate total costs including facilitation, design, employee time, and cross-region administration for the same population and time period.

What the research says

A randomized study with a waitlist control group involving 79 internal-medicine physicians published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine demonstrated that six one-hour virtual small-group sessions helped reduce burnout more than being on a waitlist. However, the study didn’t find a significant difference between group coaching and individual coaching. While this shows virtual group coaching can be effective for burnout in this clinical setting, it doesn’t necessarily prove it will strengthen connections among remote employees or validate the providers listed here.

Frequently asked questions

What is Torch?

Torch is a platform focused on leadership coaching and alignment. It allows distributed colleagues to participate in coach-led groups of six to nine people, all focused on addressing a common workplace challenge. The employer agrees the participant population, meeting times and reporting requirements. Spark, Torch's AI tool, helps participants practice reflection and rehearse conversations between sessions, according to each person's own schedule.

Is remote group coaching the same as a virtual team-building event?

No, remote group coaching differs from virtual team-building events. Group coaching creates ongoing development by bringing the same participants together over several months to reflect, take action and discuss results. In contrast, a one-time social event primarily helps people connect but doesn't provide that sustained developmental process.

Can individual contributors join remote group coaching?

Yes, individual contributors can participate in remote group coaching if the program design aligns with their needs. Some options here are specifically tailored for managers, emerging leaders or senior women. A leadership-focused cohort might not be suitable for a remote specialist, so compare your potential participants with the provider's intended audience before enrolling anyone.

Should remote sessions be recorded for people who miss them?

Typically, remote sessions shouldn't be recorded. Recording can inhibit open conversations and turn confidential development work into a permanent file. One alternative to agree with the provider is a brief catch-up with the coach and a group-approved summary. Be sure to establish recording policies, accessibility considerations and absence procedures before the first session; note that catch-up support isn't automatically included.

How should a global employer handle time zones?

For global employers, identify feasible local meeting times before organizing participants into groups. When a single time isn't fair to everyone, create regional pairings and check each group's local meeting times across daylight-saving changes. If one region consistently faces disadvantages, consider giving it a separate cohort or narrowing your pilot rather than requiring nighttime participation.

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