Generally, when the other staff in your office who do the similar work you do is absent, the management asks you to perform their part of the work too along with your work. In those cases, though the work pressure is high, that is the best opportunity to prove yourself.

In those times, give your that best work, where the management should feel like that, there is not at all a difference even if the staff is not present. In fact, if there is improvement in the quality of the work you give on that same day, then the management would get an impression on you and that might even be helpful for the growth of your career       

by Phani