Earnings Per Share (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
Apr. 01, 2017	Apr. 02, 2016
Numerators:
Numerator for both basic and diluted EPS attributable to HNI Corporation net income	$ 4,837	$ 11,843
Denominators:
Denominator for basic EPS weighted-average common shares outstanding (in shares)	44,050,040	44,258,357
Potentially dilutive shares from stock-based compensation plans (in shares)	1,403,000	782,000
Denominator for diluted EPS (in shares)	45,452,664	45,039,918
Earnings per share - basic (in dollars per share)	$ 0.11	$ 0.27
Earnings per share - diluted (in dollars per share)	$ 0.11	$ 0.26
Earnings Per Share, Diluted, Other Disclosures [Abstract]
Antidilutive securities excluded from computation of earnings per share (in shares)	615,895	1,446,530

Securities (including those issuable pursuant to contingent stock agreements) that could potentially dilute basic earnings per share (EPS) or earnings per unit (EPU) in the future that were not included in the computation of diluted EPS or EPU because to do so would increase EPS or EPU amounts or decrease loss per share or unit amounts for the period presented.

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The amount of net income (loss) for the period per each share of common stock or unit outstanding during the reporting period.

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The amount of net income (loss) for the period available to each share of common stock or common unit outstanding during the reporting period and to each share or unit that would have been outstanding assuming the issuance of common shares or units for all dilutive potential common shares or units outstanding during the reporting period.

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Additional shares included in the calculation of diluted EPS as a result of the potentially dilutive effect of share based payment arrangements using the treasury stock method.

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The average number of shares or units issued and outstanding that are used in calculating diluted EPS or earnings per unit (EPU), determined based on the timing of issuance of shares or units in the period.

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