CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (Unaudited) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2017	Oct. 01, 2016
Net Cash Flows From (To) Operating Activities:
Net income	$ 55,968	$ 74,681
Non-cash items included in net income:
Depreciation and amortization	54,524	48,908
Other post-retirement and post-employment benefits	1,194	1,232
Stock-based compensation	6,759	7,400
Excess tax benefits from stock compensation	0	(1,797)
Deferred income taxes	8,128	14,371
(Gain) loss on sale, retirement, and license of long-lived assets and intangibles, net	(5,085)	841
Other – net	(1,649)	980
Net increase (decrease) in operating assets and liabilities	(53,096)	(26,582)
Increase (decrease) in other liabilities	(9,399)	(6,327)
Net cash flows from (to) operating activities	57,344	113,707
Net Cash Flows From (To) Investing Activities:
Capital expenditures	(87,142)	(62,796)
Proceeds from sale and license of property, plant, equipment, and intangibles	8,646	987
Capitalized software	(16,749)	(19,703)
Acquisition spending, net of cash acquired	(898)	(33,567)
Purchase of investments	(2,874)	(8,724)
Sales or maturities of investments	2,678	8,581
Other – net	1,511	500
Net cash flows from (to) investing activities	(94,828)	(114,722)
Net Cash Flows From (To) Financing Activities:
Payments of note and long-term debt and other financing	(185,390)	(499,486)
Proceeds from long-term debt	287,188	543,286
Dividends paid	(37,175)	(36,260)
Purchase of HNI Corporation common stock	(52,850)	(30,406)
Proceeds from sales of HNI Corporation common stock	12,024	20,871
Withholding related to net share settlements of equity based awards	(209)	0
Excess tax benefits from stock compensation	0	1,797
Net cash flows from (to) financing activities	23,588	(198)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(13,896)	(1,213)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	36,312	28,548
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	$ 22,416	$ 27,335