Having managed various public sector undertakings, Saxena routinely dealt with labour unions and issues of human resources. As the Joint Managing Director at GIDC in 1982-83, he created a group called IRMA – Industrial Relations and Manpower Assessment Committee, a joint forum of employees and management, which he chaired and through which he created a long and cordial relationship between the staff union and the management. As the Director (Nuclear Power), Department of Atomic Energy (1989-94), he resolved all HR issues pertaining to human resources on the conversion of Nuclear Power Board to Nuclear Power Corporation that resulted in large number of staff moving from government to the newly formed company.

When tasked with the management of 16 sick mills of Gujarat State Textile Corporation as its Managing Director in 1994, he closed down all the loss-making mills by striking an amicable agreement with the labour union representing 17,000 workers then – first such exercise of winding up a government company anywhere in India. In 1996 as Vice Chairman and Managing Director of GIDC, he acquired land of 5 villages for Dahej Industrial Estate without involving any instance of agitation. As the Secretary of Health Department in 2009, he resolved the Resident Doctors’ Strike over stipend hike, identifying with their issues even while deploying unprecedented disciplinary measures.