Number of reporting units whose fair value is substantially in excess of carrying amount.

No definition available.

Name:	syke_NumberOfReportingUnitsFairValueSubstantiallyInExcessOfCarryingAmount
Namespace Prefix:	syke_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Total number of reporting units (includes reporting units with zero or negative amount of net assets).

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	syke_NumberOfReportingUnitsOfBusiness
Namespace Prefix:	syke_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount after accumulated impairment loss of an asset representing future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 350
-SubTopic 20
-Section 45
-Paragraph 5
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=77989000&loc=SL49117168-202975

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 350
-SubTopic 20
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=99380562&loc=d3e13770-109266

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_Goodwill
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of loss from the write-down of an asset representing the future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 350
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=108376223&loc=d3e13854-109267

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 28
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118932676&loc=d3e3602-108585

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 350
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (e)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=108376223&loc=d3e13816-109267

Reference 4: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 350
-SubTopic 20
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=99380562&loc=d3e13777-109266

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_GoodwillImpairmentLoss
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_GoodwillLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Number of reporting units tested for impairment of goodwill. A reporting unit is an operating segment or one level below an operating segment.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_NumberOfReportingUnits
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ReportingUnitAxis=syke_ClearlinkMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ReportingUnitAxis=syke_SymphonyVenturesLimitedMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ReportingUnitAxis=srt_LatinAmericaMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ReportingUnitAxis=syke_QelpMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Goodwill and Intangible Assets - Additional Information (Detail)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020 USD ($) Reporting_Unit	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($)
Goodwill [Line Items]
Number of reporting units \| Reporting_Unit	8
Number of reporting units including goodwill \| Reporting_Unit	7
Number of reporting units, fair value in excess of carrying value \| Reporting_Unit	3
Goodwill	$ 304,691,000	$ 311,247,000	$ 302,517,000
Clearlink [Member]
Goodwill [Line Items]
Goodwill Impairment Loss	0
Goodwill	74,000,000.0
Symphony [Member]
Goodwill [Line Items]
Goodwill Impairment Loss	0
Goodwill	39,000,000.0
Latin America [Member]
Goodwill [Line Items]
Goodwill Impairment Loss	0
Goodwill	18,900,000
Qelp [Member]
Goodwill [Line Items]
Goodwill Impairment Loss	0
Goodwill	$ 9,600,000