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Portrait of Anne inside the Newton Building.

Anne Cockayne

Senior Lecturer

Nottingham Business School

Staff Group(s)
Department of Human Resource Management International Centre for Talent Management and Development (Specialist Centre)

Role

Dr Anne Cockayne is engaged in teaching, mentoring and research activities within Nottingham Business school.

Anne’s doctorate explored autistic employees and the workplace considerations surrounding autistic talents, reasonable adjustments and HRM practices which deliver inclusion for autistic people. Her current research explores career development and neurodivergence, seeking to understand the challenges and opportunities faced by neurodivergent people in managing their careers.

She now also works with companies to deliver awareness training, aiming to deliver mutual understanding for neurodiverse and neurotypical people and offers support for line managers and neurodivergent employees to build productive working relationships

Anne’s career began in personnel management, working with large companies including Boots, STC telecommunications and ICL, before taking up the Head of HR post at a greenfield Nottingham based software firm where she set up the HR department from scratch, implementing reward systems, career pathing and resourcing strategies.

Career overview

2014 - present:

  • Design of online and IRL neuroinclusion learning programmes
  • Developed a career choice programme tailored to the university’s autistic students, aiming to deliver personalised employability outcomes, and supported by local and national employers.
  • Professionally qualified coach and mentor - delivered one to one coaching to support neurodivergent people, also a group of female leaders in Nottingham’s SME sector.
  • Mentor to neurodivergent students exploring alternative classroom learning strategies
  • Design and delivery of postgraduate, professional, and in-company programmes, including senior executive development across sectors

2000 - 2014:

  • Development of the Business School's short course programmes
  • HRM/HRD practitioner in private and public sectors
  • Consultancy work in private and public sector

Research areas

Anne's current research relates to coaching and career development, and her work with companies covers workforce engagement, employee audits, and SMEs.

External activity

  • Chair IGPCC neurodiversity conference December 2024
  • Invited reviewer for European Management Journal 2025
  • Invited book reviewer for Palgrave McMillan, 2025
  • Volunteer coach with Readeasy, supporting adults learning to read, 2024
  • External Academic Panel Member - PG Certificate in Coach Mentoring and Leadership in organisations , Leeds Beckett university, July 2019

Press expertise

Anne is available to comment on neurodivergence and inclusion in the workplace.