The 17th ADEA Convention, held on November 10, 2026, at the Zaragoza Auditorium, brought together nearly 1,500 executives, business leaders, and professionals to place workplace absenteeism at the center of the debate. The event linked absences from work to health, work-life balance, working conditions, and corporate competitiveness.
Well-being and work-life balance enter the debate on workplace absenteeism
Under the title “Rights, Well-Being and Commitment: Workplace Absenteeism Under Debate”, the gathering addressed the causes and consequences of a phenomenon affecting both business organization and workers. ADEA President Fernando Rodrigo argued for reconciling business growth and job creation with executives’ commitment to people.
Vivofácil President Javier Benavente linked employee well-being to corporate competitiveness. As he explained, absenteeism is driven not only by health problems but also by difficulties in balancing personal, family, and professional life.
Benavente proposed measures including greater workplace flexibility, active listening to employees, and resources to help them meet family responsibilities. He also stressed that initiatives must be tailored to each workforce and include monitoring and evaluation. His proposal was summarized in four steps: listen, provide solutions, communicate, and measure results.
Businesses, unions, mutual insurance providers, and health authorities examine the causes of sick leave
The main panel brought together CEOE Aragón President Benito Tesier; AMAT Managing Director Pedro Pablo; UGT Aragón Secretary-General José Juan Arceiz; and Aragón Regional Government Health Minister Ángel Sanz. The discussion incorporated business, union, health care, and mutual insurance provider perspectives on temporary disability leave and the regulatory framework.
Tesier described absenteeism as a structural problem for competitiveness, productivity, and business organization. He also said the figures had doubled over the past decade, despite advances in automation, work-life balance measures, and remote work, and called for greater collective involvement.
For his part, Pedro Pablo referred to the increase in temporary disability leave for common illnesses and injuries, as well as the influence of labor legislation, while proposing a review of the regulatory framework. Arceiz defended the protection of workers’ rights and warned that sick leave can impose costs on those who fall ill, while also increasing the workload and stress of colleagues who take on their duties.
From the health care perspective, Ángel Sanz explained that the Health Department reviews temporary disability cases through medical inspectors responsible for assessing whether leave should continue or whether a medical clearance should be issued. The minister also suggested that the assessment for medical clearance could be carried out by a different professional.
Leadership, the ADEA Awards, and a charitable cancer initiative
The Convention featured an address by Sebastián Álvaro, journalist, writer, and creator of Al filo de lo imposible. Drawing on his expedition experiences, he highlighted the importance of resilience, leadership, and collective commitment in the business world.
Álvaro recalled his first expedition to K2 in 1983, which he described as one of his greatest failures as a leader. That experience, he explained, led him to value building strong teams, responsibility, solidarity, and the need to prioritize the well-being of team members, even if that means abandoning an objective so as not to leave anyone behind.
The event concluded with the presentation of the ADEA Awards, which recognize the careers, leadership, and contributions of executives and professionals to Aragón’s business development. In addition, ADEA donated one euro to the Spanish Association Against Cancer for each attendee, an initiative that coincided with the completion of the first year of ADEA Social, a project aimed at encouraging Aragón’s executive community to engage in causes of social interest.
