CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS) - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015
Income Statement [Abstract]
Revenue	$ 150,912	$ 167,730	$ 308,699	$ 340,612
Salaries and related	78,317	85,363	156,466	174,713
Office and general	44,387	42,998	86,168	87,792
Marketing and promotion	33,426	30,416	62,908	61,047
Goodwill impairment	142,002	0	142,002	0
Impairment of indefinite lived intangible assets	3,400	0	3,400	0
Restructuring and other special charges	0	5,915	0	26,007
Total operating expenses	301,532	164,692	450,944	349,559
Operating (loss) income	(150,620)	3,038	(142,245)	(8,947)
Gain on partial sale of equity method investment	0	0	0	8,849
Interest and other, net	(2,929)	(3,409)	(6,406)	(6,615)
Loss before income taxes and (loss) income in equity interests, net	(153,549)	(371)	(148,651)	(6,713)
(Benefit from) provision for income taxes	(29,435)	1,819	(26,128)	(12,126)
(Loss) income in equity interests, net	(41)	292	209	72
(Loss) income from continuing operations	(124,155)	(1,898)	(122,314)	5,485
Income from discontinued operations, net of tax	0	2,036	0	3,842
Net (loss) income	(124,155)	138	(122,314)	9,327
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	1,181	0	2,200
Net (loss) income attributable to Monster Worldwide, Inc.	$ (124,155)	$ (1,043)	$ (122,314)	$ 7,127
Basic (loss) earnings per share attributable to Monster Worldwide, Inc.:
Income (loss) from continuing operations (in dollars per share)	$ (1.40)	$ (0.02)	$ (1.38)	$ 0.06
Income from discontinued operations, net of tax (in dollars per share)	0.00	0.01	0.00	0.02
Basic (loss) earnings per share attributable to Monster Worldwide, Inc. (in dollars per share)	(1.40)	(0.01)	(1.38)	0.08
Diluted (loss) earnings per share attributable to Monster Worldwide, Inc.:
Income (loss) from continuing operations (in dollars per share)	(1.40)	(0.02)	(1.38)	0.06
Income from discontinued operations, net of tax (in dollars per share)	0.00	0.01	0.00	0.02
Diluted (loss) earnings per share attributable to Monster Worldwide, Inc. (in dollars per share)	$ (1.40)	$ (0.01)	$ (1.38)	$ 0.08
Weighted average shares outstanding:
Basic (in shares)	88,683	90,067	88,802	89,605
Diluted (in shares)	88,683	90,067	88,802	93,218
Other comprehensive (loss) income:
Foreign currency translation adjustments, net	$ (2,272)	$ 2,933	$ (918)	$ (6,171)
Comprehensive (loss) income	(126,427)	3,071	(123,232)	3,156
Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	852	0	2,122
Comprehensive (loss) income attributable to Monster Worldwide, Inc.	$ (126,427)	$ 2,219	$ (123,232)	$ 1,034