When my wife uses “Covering” a certain way she does “manning the help desk”. But without specifically representing business activity.

Is it true they simply don’t know who is doing what? In other words, “manning the help desk” often refers to a rotating role where a group of people share a responsibility in turn. What are some examples of one of the USS Enterprise’s captains from the Navy? In that context “covering”, “working”, “attending” may all have an appropriate use.