A distant view shows a mountainous landscape with sloping peaks, green trees in the foreground, and a cloudy sky above.


<p class="wp-block-paragraph">­Every day, thousands of people visit <a href="https://copera.org" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Colorado PERA’s website</a> to access their account or to find more information on PERA and its benefits. While the site has served that purpose well for years, some changes are needed for the site to continue being a useful tool into the future.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">PERA staff embarked on a mission to envision a new website that better serves the needs of its many stakeholders and fulfills the Board’s vision of innovation in meeting the changing needs of PERA’s membership. For months, PERA has analyzed website usage data and collected input from users and staff to identify problem areas and opportunities for improvement. The result is a redesigned website that is easier to use, more mobile friendly, and better aligns with modern web standards.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">“PERA’s website is an important tool for its many stakeholders — members, retirees, employers, policy makers and more,” said Patrick von Keyserling, Senior Director of Communications. “The needs of those groups were top of mind as staff across the organization worked together to build a new site that is more useful, helpful and adaptable for the future.”</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Below is a summary of some of the most significant changes to the site.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Improved navigation</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Much of the work on the new website has centered on addressing the most common complaint about PERA’s old website — that it was difficult for members and others to find what they needed.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">In addition to a reorganized menu bar, the homepage on copera.org features a new drop-down menu with common tasks like logging in, applying for retirement and getting in touch with PERA’s Customer Service team.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Informational pages on the site are organized by career stage, making it easier for members and retirees to find information and resources that are relevant to where they are in life, whether they’re new to PERA, in the middle of their career, ready to retire or already enjoying retirement. Each career stage is displayed prominently on the homepage for easy navigation.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Deciding when to retire is an important choice to make, and the “<a href="https://copera.org/ready-to-retire" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ready to Retire</a>” section features new pages that help members determine <a href="https://copera.org/when-can-i-retire" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">when they can retire</a> and <a href="https://copera.org/how-to-retire" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">what steps they need to take</a> along the way.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">New forms and publications library</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">One of the most common reasons people visit PERA’s website is to download a form or informational booklet. On the new website, this process is easier and requires fewer clicks.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">To find a form or publication, simply click on “<a href="https://copera.org/member-and-retiree-forms" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Forms &amp; Publications</a>” in the navigation bar at the top of any page. This section of the site contains forms, booklets, fact sheets and reports sorted by category and topic.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Clicking the “+” icon on a category or topic will display a list of forms and publications that are available to view or download with a single click.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Frequently asked questions</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Have a question about PERA benefits? The new <a href="https://copera.org/pera-frequently-asked-questions" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">frequently asked question (FAQ) section</a> of copera.org features answers to many common questions. FAQs are organized by topic — such as member and retiree questions, PERACare questions, and investment-related questions. Some of the most commonly asked questions are listed on the homepage, making it easy to get answers as quickly as possible.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Continuing to improve</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">These changes are just the beginning. PERA will continue to incorporate additional content and features into the public-facing website as well as its secure portion, which houses member account dashboards and other account-related information, with the goal of improving the member experience.</p>


PERA Launches Redesigned Website with Better Navigation, Other Improvements